BR  1653. S63  W54  1879 

wildenhahn,  Carl  August, 

1805-1868 

Life  pictures  of  Spener  and 


tiff  lis  f fii  til  lilt. 


PICTURES    FROM   THE   LIFE, 
FROM  THE  GERMAN  OF  DR.  AUG.  WILDENHAHN. 

EDITED   BY 

J.    K.    SHRYOCK,    A.    M. 

{Editor  of  the  "Fatherland  Series.") 
6  VOLS.,  12MO.     CLOTH,  $1.50  EACH. 


1.  Philipp  Jacob  Spener. 

2.  Paul  Gerhardt,  ...  in  preparation. 

3.  John  Arndt,  .  .  .  .      '.'  " 

4.  Martin  Luther,  .  .  .  "  " 

5.  The  Diet  of  Augsburg,  .  .  '.      "  " 

6.  Aug,  Hermann  Franks,  etc.,  .  "  " 


Any  of  the  above  vols,  will  be  mailed  to  any  address,  postage  paid,  J1.50. 


jlipp  ^mh  ^\Hmt. 


"LIFE  PICTURES  OF  SFENER/SD  MS  TIMES." 

PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER 

A  HISTORICAL  LIFE  PICTURE. 

TRANSLATED  FROM  THE  GERMAN  OF  DR.  A.  WILDENHAHN, 

By  rev.  G.  a.  WENZEL,  A.  M. 


<^OLOG\CM  SE^''>>'" 


EDITED   BY 

J.  K.  SHRYOCK,  A.  M., 
Editor  of  the  "  Fatherland  Series. 


19821 


PHILADELPHIA: 

J.  FRED'K  SMITH,  Publisher, 

914  FILBERT  ST., 
1879. 


COPYRIGHT. 

J.  FRED'K  SMITH, 
1879. 


STEREOTYPED   AND   PRINTED   BY 

INQUIRER   P.  4   P.  CO. 

LANCASTER,  PA. 


c4  - 


PICTURES  FROM  THE  LIFE: 

AN  INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  WORKS  OF  WILDENHAHN, 


BY    C.  P.   KRAUTH,  D.  D.,  LL,  D. 


THE  religious  literature  in  our  day,  meant  for  the 
people,  and  especially  for  the  young,  is  almost 
boundless.  In  no  department  are  there  so  many 
efforts,  and  so  many  failures,  as  in  books  designed  to 
make  a  popular  presentation  of  the  doctrines,  duties 
and  history  of  religion.  Few  of  them  strike  the  true 
key-note  to  which  the  hearts  of  the  people  and  of 
their  children  respond.  Many  of  the  books  meet 
neither  the  demands  of  popularity,  nor  of  real  religious 
usefulness.  Happily,  one  of  their  vices  is  the  antidote 
to  the  other.  It  would  be  waste  of  time  to  read  them; 
but  they  tempt  nobody  to  waste  that  time.  Some 
books  are  healthy  enough  in  their  religious  character, 
but,  unhappily,  like  the  first  class,  are  drearily  unread- 
able. Some  are  attractive  enough  to  the  reader,  but 
do  him  very  little  good,  or  produce  positive  harm. 
No  book  is  so  dangerous  as  a  bad  book  masked  with 
the  pretences  of  religion. 

Out  of  the  great  body  of  writers,  very  few  have 
understood  how  to  arrest  the  general  heart,  awaken  in 
it  a  deep  interest,  and  make  that  interest  the  means  of 
promoting  a  genuine  religious  life.     There  is  nothing 

(V) 


Vi  INTRODUCTION. 

rarer  than  a  book  at  once  thoroughly  captivating  to 
the  popular  reader,  and  thoroughly  wholesome  relig- 
iously. Some  readers  are  hopelessly  fixed  in  the  con- 
viction that  a  good  book  must  be  tedious,  and  that  real 
spiritual  benefit  cannot  be  harmonized  with  real  enjoy- 
ment. Such  is  the  conviction  of  some  very  devout 
people  who  sit  down  willingly  to  their  reading  as  a 
salutary  task.  Such  is  the  conviction  of  many  who, 
in  consequence  of  it,  decline  the  task.  Of  some  of 
the  best  of  a  widely-circulated  class  of  books,  the 
recommendation  in  charity  can  go  no  further  than  that 
they  do  no  direct  violence  to  the  religious  life  which 
may  already  exist.  They  are  at  best  neutral.  They 
let  the  religious  life  alone.  It  cannot  be  claimed  for 
them  that  they  in  any  degree  strengthen  or  nourish  it. 
Where  food  is  wanted,  they  do  not  furnish  arsenic, 
they  simply  furnish  husks.  They  do  not  poison  the 
soul,  they  merely  starve  it.  There  are  other  books, 
not  different  in  essential  character  from  the  ordinary 
run  of  fiction,  but  with  just  enough  religion  to  smug- 
gle them  into  Sunday-school  libraries,  and  into  relig- 
ious families.  A  few  sacred  names  and  phrases  are 
patched  upon  the  "  garment  spotted  with  the  flesh," 
and  the  eye  of  unpracticed  and  unsuspicious  innocence 
catches  only  these,  and  assumes  that  all  is  right.  The 
libraries  meant  for  our  children  are  full  of  catch-penny 
books,  whose  religious  elements  are  mere  trade  marks 
— nothing  more  than  inferior  novels  with  a  tincture  of 
pious  common-place.  In  this  way  the  Sunday-school 
is  often,  without  suspicion,  undoing  the  best  work  of 
the  Christian  home  and  the  Christian  Church. 

Happily,  amid  the   vast   and   augmenting  array  of 


INTRODUCTION.  vii 

failure,  our  time  has  not  been  wanting  in  very  brilliant 
achievement.  No  country  has  been  as  rich  as  Ger- 
many in  the  highest  class  of  effort  in  this  direction, 
and  none  has  had  more  signal  successes.  Germany 
has  been  rich,  in  the  most  recent  period,  in  authors 
at  once  genuinely  popular  and  genuinely  Christian. 
There  are  men  who  draw  song  and  story  from  the 
inspiration  of  the  best  life  of  the  Christian  people;  the 
life  which  has  lingered  in.  true  and  holy  hearts  when 
spurious  illumination  has  stifled  it  in  the  great,  gay 
crowd,  which  claims  to  be  the  cultivated  world. 
These  men  have  become  the  apostles  of  Christian 
faith,  the  educators  of  the  people  in  Christian  love 
and  Christian  holiness.  Among  the  greatest  and  most 
deservedly  admired  of  these  writers  is  Karl  August 
WiLDENHAHN.  He  was  born  in  Stralan,  Feb.  i6th, 
1805;  received  his  primary  education  in  his  native 
place;  studied  theology  in  Leipzig,  1 824-1 829;  became 
pastor  in  Schonefeld  near  Leipzig,  1837;  subsequently 
was  secondary  pastor  in  Bautzen,  and  then  counselor 
in  its  ecclesiastical  and  educational  department.  The 
title  of  D.  D.  was  conferred  on  him  by  the  nomination 
of  the  Theological  Faculty  of  Leipzig,  1846,  and  in 
1852  he  received  the  Cross  of  Knighthood  of  the 
Order  of  Albert. 

His  whole  life  has  been  devoted  to  efficient  labor  for 
the  Christian  people,  and  for  the  thousands  who  are  to 
be  won  to  Christ.  He  has  published  a  number  of 
sermons,  and  of  devotional  works.  He  has  also  writ- 
ten some  minor  works  of  fiction,  among  which  his 
"Village  Histories  of  the  Erz  Mountains,"  second  edi- 
tion, 1852,  reveal  special  power  of  delineation  and  a 
happy  tact  in  touching  the  real  life  of  the  people. 


viii  INTRODUCTION. 

But  his  master-pieces  are  his  Historical  Pictures 
from  the  hfe.  The  most  important  of  these,  arranged 
with  reference  to  the  chronology  of  the  eras  over 
which  they  pass,  are : 

1.  Martin  Luther  (1483-1546);  a  life-picture  of 
the  first  ten  years  of  the  Reformation.  3d  Edit.  1858. 
This  name  covers  a  group  of  sketches,  stories  which 
have  a  certain  completeness  in  themselves,  yet  are  but 
parts  of  a  great  general  conception. 

2.  Hans  Sachs  (1494- 15  76) — a  family  tradition, 
1865. 

3.  John  Arndt  (i 555-1 621);  a  picture  of  the  times 
from  the  Church  and  civic  history  of  Brunswick,  in  the 
first  year  of  the  17th  Century.     2d  Edit.      1858. 

4.  Paul  Gerhardt  (1607-1675);  a  hfe-picture  from 
the  history  of  the  Church  in  the  times  of  the  great 
Elector.  3d.  Edit.  1857.  The  "great  Elector  "was 
Frederick  William  of  Brandenburg  (1640-1688). 

5.  Philipp  Jacob  Spener  (1635-1705);  a  historical 
life-picture  from  the  period  in  which  the  School  of 
Spener  arose.     3d  Edit.      1858. 

6.  Vollbrecht's  Pilgrimage,  or  the  Resurrection 
of  the  Dead  Christ.    A  history  for  our  own  day.    1840. 

All  these  works  are  minute  histories  of  great  eras 
in  the  Protestant  Church  of  Germany.  The  annals 
of  the  times  are  brought  into  unity  by  some  com- 
manding central  figure,  and  vivified  by  so  much 
fiction  as  can  be  wrought  into  strict  harmony  with 
the  things  actually  done,  and  the  things  actually  said. 
In  most  historical  fiction  the  history  waits  on  the 
fiction;  in  these  works  tlie  fictioii  zvaits  on  the  his- 
tory.    It  is  not  here  the  novelist  using  history;    it  is 


INTR  ODUC  TION.  ix 

the  historian  using  fiction,  not  to  obscure  the  history, 
but  to  bring  it  into  full  relief.  These  works  cultivate 
in  the  reader,  not  a  love  of  fiction,  but  a  love  of  his- 
tory. They  open  to  him  fascinating  pages,  to  which 
our  English  literature  is  a  stranger.  They  will  make 
our  people  know  their  Church  better  and  love  it  more 
and  will  lead  thousands  to  become  acquainted  with  a 
glorious  record,  which  would  have  remained  sealed  to 
them,  but  for  these  delightful  works.  Wildenhahn's 
books  are  in  high  repute  both  as  history  and  as  fiction, 
and  are  quoted  as  standards  in  history,  as  well  as 
Christian  classics  in  their  walk  in  fiction.  Few  books 
can  give  so  much  sure  profit,  both  intellectual  and 
religious,  wi-th  so  much  elevated  enjoyment.  They 
are  pictures  showing  the  master's  touch.  That  is 
their  charm.  They  are  pictures  to  the  life,  thoroughly 
accurate,  portraits  strictly  historical.  That  is  their 
value  to  the  thoughtful  seeker  of  knowledge.  They 
are  life-pictures  from  the  greatest  eras  of  the  great 
Church  of  the  Reformation,  reproducing  their  strug- 
gles, which  were  struggles  for  the  common  heritage 
of  a  pure  faith  and  a  holy  life.  This  makes  them 
treasures  for  the  Christian  heart  and  home,  for  old 
and  young.  While  they  have  a  pre-eminent  attraction 
for  our  own  household  of  faith,  they  will  elicit  an 
extraordinary  interest  and  sympathy  in  the  hearts  of 
God's  true  children  in  all  communions.  No  path  in 
our  best  religious  literature  could  be  more  completely 
unbeaten,  and  more  delightful  and  profitable  to  traverse 
than  that  which  a  translation  of  Wildenhahn's  works 
will  open  to  the  English  reader. 


X  INTRODUCTION. 

The  above  comprehensive  introduction  was  written 
some  years  ago,  at  the  time  of  the  pubHcation  of  "The 
Blind  Girl  of  Wittenberg ; "  and  as  the  publisher  has 
no  idea  that  he  cam  improve  upon  it,  he  uses  it  bodily 
as  an  introduction  to  "  Life  Pictures  of  Spener  and  His 
Times."  He  has  chosen  "Spener"  as  the  most  timely 
of  Dr.  Wildenhahn's  works  to  bring  before  the  public, 
and  has  confidence  that  their  verdict  will  justify  his 
selection.  The  following  authorities  have  been  given 
in  the  author's  preface  : 

HossBACH ;  Ph.  J.  Spener  and  His  Times :  2  vols, 
Berhn,  1828. 

Bretschneider  ;  Die  Grundlage  des  evangelischen 
Pietismus.     Leipzig,  1833. 

Freiherr  von  Canstein  ;  Vorrede  zu  den  letzen 
theologischen  Bedenken  Speners.  Halle,  171 1;  a 
later  edition  with  notes,  by  Joachim  Lange,  1740. 

Gerber  ;  Historic  der  Wiedergeborner  in  Sachsen  : 
Th.  n.,  Historic  viii. 

Gleich  ;  Annal.  eccles.,  Dresden  u.  Leipzig,  1730; 
Th.  n.,  pp.  429-484. 

SuABEDissEN ;  Ph.  J.  Spener,  in  Rochlitz  ;  jahrliche 
Mittheilungen.     Jahrg,  1823  (3  Bd.) ;  pp.  1-120. 

Knapp;  "  Life  and  Character  of  Some  Pious  Men  of 
the  Eighteenth  Century."     Halle,  1829;  pp.  1-38. 

Spener's  theol.  Bed.  (Halle,  1838). 

Dr.  Aug.  Wildenhahn;  Biographic  Speners,  1845. 


CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  I.  '''^''•=- 

The  Spenerites,         ..-.--        9 

CHAPTER  II. 
The  Acquaintance  in  the  Carriage,        -  -  -  35 

CHAPTER  III. 
Wooing,         .-..-.-      49 

CHAPTER  IV. 
The  Interview,     .-.--.  68 

CHAPTER  V. 
A  Peep  into  the  House  and  Heart,  -  -  -       86 

CHAPTER  VI. 
The  Entertainment,  -  .  .  -  .  105 

CHAPTER  VII. 
The  Elector  and  his  Confessor,        -  -  -  -     134 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
The  Voice  of  Conscience,  -  -  -  -  157 

CHAPTER  IX. 
The  Mortal  Wooing,  -  -  -  -  -     173 

CHAPTER  X. 
Repentance  and  Confession,       ...  -  191 

CHAPTER  XI. 
Evening  Prayer,       ..----     205 

CHAPTER  XII. 
The  Trial,  ...---  226 

(xi) 


CONTENTS. 


LHAl-TKK  Xlll. 

PAGE. 

The  Impoverished  Family, 

-  244 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
The  Difficult  Office,         .            .            .            - 

261 

CHAPTER  XV. 
The  Letter,     ------ 

-  275 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

The  Work  of  Defamation, 

292 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
The  First  Efifects,      .            .            -            _            , 

-   304 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
Church  and  House,         -            -            .            . 

325 

CHAPTER  XIX. 
The  New  Trial,         _            _            -            .            . 

-   340 

CHAPTER  XX. 
The  New  Life,      -            -            _            .            . 

354 

CHAPTER  XXI. 
A  Call  from  the  North,         .            -            .            . 

-    373 

CHAPTER  XXII. 
Cliildren's  Trials,             ..            .            .            . 

386 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 
The  Second  Call  from  the  North,    -  -  -  -    407 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 
The  Painful  Proposal,     -----  422 

CHAPTER  XXV. 
The  Fruitless  Mediator,       .  -  .  .  -     438 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 
The  Departure,    ------  452 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 
The  End,       -.--.--    463 


PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 


CHAPTER    I, 


THE  SPENERITES. 


"  Every  man  should  eat  and  drink,  and  enjoy  the  good  of  all  his 
lahor;  it  is  the  gift  of  God." — Eccles.  iii.  13. 

ABOUT  the  hour  of  noon,  on  a  pleasant,  autumnal 
day,  in  the  year  1688,  there  might  have  been 
seen  traveling  on  the  road  that  leads  from  the  small 
village  of  Dohna  to  Dresden,  a  young  man,  whose 
dress  and  general  appearance  betokened  him  a  joy- 
ous, careless,  wandering  student  of  the  fine  arts  or  of 
science.  A  knapsack,  containing  a  few  scanty  articles 
of  clothing,  was  slung  over  his  back,  less  as  a  sign  of 
that  Diogenian  frugality  which  discards  all  superflui- 
ties as  unnecessary,  than  as  a  betrayer  of  that  youth- 
ful improvidence,  which,  not  unfrequently,  classes 
things  necessary  among  things  superfluous.  Pos- 
sessed by  that  spirit  of  independence,  which  does  not 
concern  itself  about  the  fashions  of  the  world,  he  wore 
his  dark  hair  altogether  contrary  to  the  prevailing 
custom  of  the  times,  permitting  it  to  fall  in  flowing 
ringlets  over  his  breast  and  shoulders.  His  staff  he 
seemed  to  carry  more  for  pleasure  and  as  an  orna- 
ment, than  as  a  support,  though  his  limping  gait  gave 
evidence  that  much  travel  had  told  upon  one  of  his  feet 

(9) 


lO  PHILIP P  JACOB  SPENER. 

Having  arrived  opposite  the  inn  of  Lockwitz,  a 
town  occupying  an  exceedingly  romantic  site,  about  a 
league  from  Dresden,  he  paused  for  a  few  moments, 
looking  along  the  highway,  apparently,  as  if  calculat- 
ing the  distance  yet  to  be  overcome,  with  a  view  to 
his  remaining  strength,  but  really  and  more  especially, 
as  we  shall  see  presently,  with  a  wise  reference  to  the 
condition  of  his  stomach;  for  he  suddenly  turned 
towards  the  door  of  the  inn,  entered  the  guest-room 
with  a  hasty  salutation,  and,  with  that  youthful  assur- 
ance which  imagines  itself  master  of  the  whole  world, 
demanded  of  the  hostess  the  best  her  kitchen  and 
cellar  could  afford. 

There  was  only  one  other  guest  present,  except 
himself,  a  man  somewhat  past  the  prime  of  life,  and 
dressed  in  a  dark  and  well-worn  suit  of  clothes.  He 
occupied  a  table  in  one  corner  of  the  room,  discuss- 
ing a  frugal  meal,  at  long  intervals,  which  he  was  fill- 
ing up  by  earnestly  reading  in  a  book.  He  did  not 
appear  to  notice  the  new-comer,  and  had,  besides, 
assumed  such  an  austere  and  sombre  look,  that  a 
stranger  felt  no  disposition  to  address  him.  Our 
traveler  seated  himself  at  another  table,  counted  the 
contents  of  his  purse  (an  operation  which  seemed 
attended  with  a  not  very  flattering  result,)  took  a 
survey  of  every  part  of  the  room,  bestowed  a  hasty 
glance  on  his  gloomy-looking  companion,  and  seemed, 
as  none  of  the  family  made  their  appearance,  to  grow 
weary  of  his  presence;  whilst  the  other  appeared  to 
become  more  and  more  absorbed  in  his  book,  his 
brow  meanwhile  continuing  to  assume  a  darker  shade. 

Suddenly  the  traveler  rose  from  his  scat,  took  from 


THE  SPENERITES.  1 1 

a  shelf  above  the  door  a  piece  of  chalk,  and,  whilst 
casting  a  few  hasty  glances  at  his  fellow-guest,  rapidly 
drew  with  it  some  lines  upon  the  table,  and,  when  he 
had  finished,  nodded  his  head,  as  if  in  satisfaction. 
The  other  now  also  rose,  crossed  his  hands  on  his 
back,  after  taking  a  few  turns  up  and  down  the 
room,  paused  before  the  table  of  the  traveler,  exam- 
ined, for  a  moment,  the  grotesque  figure  he  had 
drawn,  and  then  remarked,  "  My  nose  might  be  a 
little  sharper;  otherwise  you  have  hit  me  pretty  well," 
So  saying,  he  returned  to  his  seat  in  the  corner,  and 
began  his  alternate  eating  and  reading  as  before.  The 
perfect  composure  with  which  these  words  had 
been  uttered,  somewhat  disconcerted  the  presuming 
sketcher,  and  the  result  was  that  he  rubbed  out,  with 
his  handkerchief,  the  well-executed  sketch  of  the 
reading-eater,  or  rather  eating-reader. 

The  hostess  now  entered  with  his  dinner,  and 
wished  him  "  a  blessed  meal,"  and  departed,  once 
more  leaving  her  two  silent  guests  by  themselves. 
As  the  artist  commenced  eating  without  further  cer- 
emony, the  other,  looking  to  where  he  sat,  said, 
"Young  man,  have  you  forgotten  to  say,  'AH  eyes 
wait  upon  Thee' — and  '  your  gratias'  ?" 

"And  if  I  have,"  answered  the  artist,  in  a  somewhat 
irritable  manner,  "  what  matters  it  to  you  ?" 

"  You  are  right,"  added  the  other,  and  continued  his 
eating  and  reading  as  before. 

The  presence  of  this  singular  man  began  to  be  pain- 
ful to  the  artist.  Though  far  from  being  of  a  timid 
disposition,  the  austere  look  and  cold  composure  of 
his  silent  companion  nevertheless  oppressed  him,  and 


12  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

closed  his  lips.  Fortunately,  however,  relief  from  his 
awkward  position  was  at  hand;  for  the  door  opened, 
and  a  tall,  lank  individual,  his  head  surmounted  by  a 
well-powdered  wig,  entered  the  room,  haughtily  bow- 
ing a  silent  salutation,  and,  as  neither  of  the  occupants 
seemed  rightly  to  please  him,  seated  himself  at  a  third 
table ;  but  presently,  turning  to  the  artist,  he  said, 
"  You  are,  doubtless,  a  traveler,  sir  ?" 

"That  is  just  as  you  may  please  to  take  it,"  replied 
the  youth ;  "  for  after  this  day,  I  intend  to  lay  aside 
my  traveling  staff  for  a  long  time  to  come." 

"  May  I  ask  whence  you  came?"  continued  the  man 
with  the  fashionable  wig,  at  the  same  time  whisking 
the  dust  from  off  his  silver  shoe-buckle  with  his  hand- 
kerchief 

"  I  come,"  was  the  reply,  "  direct  from  Italy,  the  true 
home  of  art." 

"  You  are  then,  I  presume,  a  traveling  artist,  a  pro- 
fession which  I  almost  envy  you;  and  the  more  so, 
because  I  had,  at  one  time,  a  very  strong  inclination  to 
follow  it  myself,  and  was  only  prevented  from  doing  so 
through  the  persuasion  of  my  relatives,  especially  of 
my  mother,  who  was  a  member  of  the  noble  house  of 
Langendorf" 

"  Then,  I  presume  you  are  a  gentleman  of  noble 
birth  ?"  inquired  the  artist. 

"As  you  please,"  replied  the  other  in  a  careless  tone. 
"One-half  of  myself  takes  pride  in  the  nobility  of 
my  ancestors,  but  the  other  half  in  the  nobility  of 
my  scientific  attainments.  You  perceive  that  these 
two  halves  make  an  entire  whole.  You  are  gazing  at 
my  dust-covered   shoes,"    he   coi^tini|ed,  on  noticing 


THE  SPENEJilTES.  I^ 

that  the  artist  was  engaged  in  a  somewhat  quizzical 
examination  of  the  exterior  of  this  "  entire  whole." 
"All  this  is  owing  to  my  passion  for  roaming  about 
over  mountains  and  valleys,  to  drink  in  the  beauties 
of  nature.  In  such  a  passion  you  perceive  there  is 
something  noble,  which  undeniable  fact  reconciles  me 
to  all  the  various  inconveniences  to  which  said  passion 
exposes  me.  However,  I  have  an  equally  strong  pas- 
sion, just  now,  for  imitating  the  example  of  the  Apos- 
tles, by  shaking  the  dust  from  off  my  feet,  inasmuch 
as  the  hostess  of  this  house  seems  to  pay  but  little 
attention  to  her  guests.  For  it  is  written  in  the  tenth 
chapter  of  the  gospel  according  to  St.  Matthew,  'and 
whosoever  shall  not  receive  you,  nor  hear  your  words, 
when  ye  depart  out  of  that  house  or  city,  shake  off  the 
dust  of  your  feet'  " 

"It  is  also  written,"  suddenly  interrupted  the  morose- 
looking  guest,  '.Provide  neither  gold,  nor  silver,  nor 
brass  in  your  purses,  nor  scrip  for  your  journey; 
neither  two  coats,  neither  shoes,  nor  yet  staves* — and 
shall  we  add  ' nor  a  wig?'  " 

"Sir,"  exclaimed  the  fashionably-dressed  gentle- 
man, starting  up  and  turning  full  upon  the  uninvited 
speaker, — "what  concern  have  you  with  our  dis- 
course?" 

"You  are  right,"  was  the  quiet  reply,  as  the  speaker 
began  to  eat  and  read  as  before. 

Just  at  this  time  the  sound  of  voices  was  heard  from 
without,  when  the  door  opened,  and  a  company  of  men 
and  women  entered  the  room  with  courteous  greetings. 
Most  of  them  at  once  approached,  with  the  familiarity 
of  old  friends,  the  grave-looking  guest,  who  immedi- 


I  A  PHILIP P  JACOB  SPENER. 

ately  laid  aside  his  book,  and  gave  the  new-comers  a 
most  cordial  welcome,  and  whilst  shaking  hands  with 
the  men,  said, — "  You  are  very  late  to-day." 

"And  you  seem  very  early,"  replied  one  of  the  men. 
"Did  you  not  stay  till  after  the  close  of  the  examina?" 

"Of  course  I  did,"  was  the  reply;  "who  could  have 
left  before  Spener  had  pronounced  the  benediction  and 
the  Amen?  I  have  apprised  the  hostess  of  your 
coming,  and  told  her  that  you  wish  to  dine  here;  for 
the  distance  from  here  to  Dohna  is  too  great  to  be 
traveled  without  eating." 

The  elegant-looking  gentleman,  who  upon  the  en- 
trance of  the  new-comers,  who  proved  to  be  simple 
peasants,  had,  with  ostentatious  haste,  left  his  table 
because  some  of  them  had  given  signs  of  occupying 
part  of  it,  and  taken  a  seat  at  that  occupied  by  the 
artist,  now  whispered  in  his  neighbor's  ear,  "These  are 
Pietists,  and  have  just  returned  from  Spener's  examina. 
Now  you  only  wait,  whilst  I  quiz  them  a  little,  and  we 
shall  have  some  sport." 

In  the  mean  time  the  hostess  appeared,  spread  a 
clean  white  cloth  upon  the  table,  placed  the  knives  and 
forks,  arranged  the  eatables  brought  in  by  a  maid- 
servant, and  said,  "  Now,  good  people,  eat,  and  may 
God  add  His  blessing." 

The  guests,  without  heeding  the  artist  and  his  neigh- 
bor with  the  silver  shoe-buckles,  now  ranged  them- 
selves, standing  around  the  table,  for  saying  grace. 
The  men,  holding  their  hats  between  the  thumbs  of 
their  folded  hands,  raised  their  eyes  in  joyful  gratitude 
to  heaven,  whilst  the  women,  crossing  their  hands 
upon  their  breasts,  dropped  their  eyes,  in  pious  mod- 


THE    SPENERITES. 


15 


esty  and  humility,  to  the  ground.  Whilst  in  this  posi- 
tion, one  among  their  number,  an  aged  man,  with  long 
and  silvery  locks,  but  of  a  vigorous  and  comely  stature, 
began  to  repeat,  in  a  loud  and  solemn  voice,  the  words 
of  the  Psalmist:  "The  eyes  of  all  wait  upon  Thee, and 
Thou  givest  them  their  meat  in  due  season.  Thou 
openest  Thy  hand  and  satisfiest  the  desire  of  every 
living  thing." 

To  this  was  added,  by  a  young  woman,  with  an 
humble,  downward  look, — 

"  Come,  Lord  Jesus,  be  Thou  our  guest, 
And  let  what  Thou  dost  give  be  blessed." 

"Amen!"  responded  the  entire  company,  as  with 
one  voice.  Hereupon,  they  interchanged  friendly  and 
inviting  glances;  whilst  some,  including  husbands  and 
wives,  gave  each  other  an  affectionate  pressure  of 
the  hand,  and  sat  down  to  their  simple  meal,  which 
they  began  to  despatch  in  silence. 

"So  you  come  from  Dresden,"  at  length  remarked 
the  fine  gentleman  with  the  wig,  in  a  tone  which  was 
intended  to  appear  polite,  but  which,  nevertheless, 
betrayed  a  forced  reserve ;  "  where,  doubtless,  you 
attended  the  examina  of  the  very  reverend  court- 
chaplain,  Dr.  Philipp  Jacob  Spener?" 

"  You  are  right,  sir,"  answered  the  man  who  had 
said  grace.     "Perhaps  you  also  were  present?" 

"I?"  asked  the  other,  with  an  easy  and  affected 
smile.  "  Have  you  ever  heard  of  one  master  becoming 
the  pupil  of  another  ?" 

"I  do  not  rightly  understand  your  meaning,"  replied 
the  old  man.  "For,  inasmuch  as  all  of  us  have  only 
one  Master,  I  cannot  comprehend  why  you  will  not  be 


1 6  PHILIPP  JACOB   SPENER. 

a  disciple.  Since,  however,  this  heavenly  Master  does 
no  longer  dwell  among  us  visibly,  and  consequently 
cannot  teach  us  in  person  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the 
life,  others,  imbued  with  His  Spirit,  must  do  it  in  His 
name,  and  in  accordance  with  His  commandment;  and 
this  is  what  our  Right  Reverend  Dr.  Spener  has  just 
done,  who,  though  much  he  may  be  entitled  to  it,  is 
far  from  assuming  the  name  of  master;  for  which 
reason  we  also  call  him  only  our  spiritual  father." 

"And  yet,"  added  the  elegant  gentleman,  "he  is, 
nevertheless,  a  very  able  master,  namely,  a  school- 
master; a  title  and  office  to  which  His  Electoral  High- 
ness did,  of  course,  not  appoint  him.  He  wanted  a 
competent  and  learned  court-chaplain,  but  obtained 
instead,  unfortunately,  only  a  competent  school-master, 
a  mistake  which  may  easily  occur." 

At  this,  the  gloomy-looking  man,  who  had  hitherto 
maintained  his  place  in  the  corner,  cast  a  withering 
look  upon  the  speaker,  and  half-raised  himself  from  his 
chair,  as  if  about  to  reply;  but  as  if  suddenly  recol- 
lecting himself,  he  quietly  resumed  his  seat,  whilst  the 
old  man  replied :  "  Young  sir,  it  seems  that  you  are  no 
friend  to  Dr.  Spener,  therefore  I  pardon  you  this 
unjust  attack  upon  him,  though  you  ought,  especially 
since  you  are,  as  appears  by  your  dress,  a  clergyman, 
to  be  among  the  first  to  obey  the  divine  injunction : 
*  Honor  all  men ;  love  the  brethren.'  " 

"According  to  the  First  Epistle  of  St.  Peter,"  added 
the  clerical  gentleman,  "  It  is  also  written  in  the  third 
chapter  of  the  Romans, '  Honor  to  whom  honor  is  ditc! 
Think  you  I  do  not  fulfill  this  commandment  ?  Have 
I  not  called  your  spiritual  father,  master?" 


THE   SPENERITES.  jy 

"1  repeat  to  you,"  continued  the  old  man,  mildly, 
"that  the  reverend  gentleman  does  not  desire  such 
honor  as  is  meant  to  be  confessed  by  this  title.  He 
understands  too  well  the  injunction  of  our  Redeemer, 
'  Let  no  man  call  you  master,  for  one  — '  " 

"Right,"  interrupted  the  other,  "as  it  is  written  in 
Matthew,  thirteenth  chapter.  But  tell  me  what  you 
have  learned  to-day  at  the  examina?" 

"  Every  part  of  it,"  was  the  reply,  "  I  cannot  repeat, 
yet,  we  know  that  we  have  again  learned  how  difficult 
it  is  to  be  a  true  Christian." 

"Ay!  ay!"  exclaimed  the  elegant  gentleman,  in 
learned  astonishment,  "  Do  you  not  know  that  in  the 
fifth  chapter  of  the  First  Epistle  of  St.  John,  Lt  is  writ- 
ten, '  His  commandments  are  not  grievous  ?'  Does 
not,  according  to  this,  your  spiritual  father  put  forth 
teachings  contrary  to  Scripture  ?" 

This  objection  seemed  to  confuse  the  old  man ;  for 
he  bowed  his  head  as  if  reflecting,  and  remained  silent, 
when  the  reserved-looking  man  in  the  corner  suddenly 
rose  up  and  exclaimed,  in  a  tone  of  ill-concealed  pas- 
sion, "  You  may  be  right,  reverend  Sir  Master  of  Arts ; 
for  I  believe  such  is  your  title.  To  devour  widows' 
houses,  and,  for  a  pretense  to  make  long  prayers,  is  not 
hard.  To  strain  at  a  gnat  and  swallow  a  camel,  is  not 
hard.  To  pay  tithe  of  mint  and  cummin,  but  to  omit 
the  weightier  matters  of  the  law,  judgment,  mercy,  and 
faith,  is  not  hard,  and  may,  as  you  will  readily  grant, 
be  acquired  with  but  little  pharisaical  skill.  But  to 
fulfill  God's  commandments  will  remain  a  difficult  task, 
as  long  as  one  has  not  yet  learned  to  /o7^e  God.  You 
understand  what  I  mean,  Sir  Master?" 


,g  PHIL  IP  F  JACOB   SPENER. 

"  Of  course,"  answered  the  Master  of  Arts,  in  visible 
embarrassment.  "  Yet,  nevertheless, — that  is,  I  intend 
to  say,  I  cannot  comprehend  why  these  good  people 
should  go  all  the  way  from  Dohna  to  Dresden,  for  the 
purpose  of  learning  all  this.  Have  they  no  ministers 
and  teachers  in  their  own  town?  Moreover,  what  is 
there  about  this  Spener,  more  than  others?  Is  it  his 
learning?  Pro/i  dolor !  Why,  he  is  not  even  able  to 
converse  properly  ia  Latin,  for  which  reason  he  has 
undertaken  to  examine  candidates  in  the  German 
language.  Have  you  ever  heard  of  His  Electoral 
Highness'  former  chaplains,  such  as  Drs.  Weller, 
Geier,  Lucius,  and  others,  having  been  guilty  of  such 
a  scandalous  proceeding?" 

"  Do  you  suppose,"  rejoined  the  former  speaker, 
"that  true  learning  is  to  be  judged  of  by  such  a  cri- 
terion ?  In  what  language,  think  you,  did  Christ 
examine  His  disciples  ?  In  that  which  they  daily  con- 
versed, and  which  they  were  able  to  speak  most 
fluently  and  correctly,  or  in  a  foreign  tongue,  in  the 
speaking  of  which  the  understanding  only  is  engaged, 
because  the  heart  cannot  join  ?  He  who  speaks  to 
God,  and  of  God,  can  do  it  best  in  that  language  which 
he  acquired  as  a  child;  in  this  he  speaks  as  a  child  of 
God,  and  needs  no  interpreter." 

"  One  can  see,"  replied  the  Master  of  Arts,  with  a 
supercilious  smile,  after  having  again  put  on  his  dis- 
tinguished air,  "  that  you  have  read  or  are  a  believer 
in  the  Pia  Desidcria.  It  is  a  pity,  that  the  learned 
court-chaplain  does  not  find  many  adherents  among 
the  learned  and  noble,  and  that  even  His  Electoral 
Highness  himself  is  any  thing  but  friendly  to  his 
confessor." 


THE    SPENERITES. 


19 


"There  you  are  altogether  mistaken,"  contended  the 
other.  "That  our  gracious  Elector  protects  our  Right 
Reverend  Mr.  Spener,  and  encourages  his  measures, 
which  are  promotive  of  true  Christianity,  is  already 
evident,  from  the  fact  that  His  Electoral  Highness  has 
set  apart  the  chapel  of  his  gracious  mother,  the  wid- 
owed Electress,  for  the  special  purpose  of  holding  the 
examina  therein,  his  own  dwelling  being  much  too 
small  to  afford  adequate  accommodation  for  the  in- 
creasing num.bers  of  such  as  are  concerned  for  their 
salvation.  And  did  he  not,  only  a  few  weeks  ago, 
issue  a  decree,  making  it  the  duty  of  every  minister  in 
his  dominions,  to  introduce  and  attend  to  the  same 
sort  of  catechetical  instruction  ?  And  that  the  rev- 
erend Doctor,  in  his  capacity  as  confessor,  understands 
how  to  influence  the  heart  of  his  Electoral  Highness, 
and  that  his  religious  instructions  are  cordially  received 
by  him,  is  evident  from  his  Electoral  Highness'  own 
acknowledgment,  inasmuch  as  he  has,  as  you,  Sir 
Master,  are  well  aware,  openly  declared  to  his  court, 
'  that  he  should  not  have  believed  any  one  capable  of 
so  moving  his  heart,  as  Dr.  Spener  has  done?'  " 

"  Your  proofs  rest  upon  a  weak  foundation,"  con- 
tinued the  Master  of  Arts.  "  The  general  introduction 
of  catechisation  is  a  measure  which  originated  during 
last  year's  Diet,  and  to  which  His  Electoral  Highness 
was  graciously  pleased  to  offer  no  opposition.  And  that 
the  influence  upon  his  heart,  of  which  you  so  much 
boast,  is  rapidly  diminishing,  I  might  show  by  a  variety 
of  facts,  if  certain  considerations,  as,  for  instance,  my 
most  confidential  intimacy  with  my  highly  esteemed 
cousin,    Herr   von    Langendorf,   the   favorite    of    His 


20  PHIL  IP P  JACOB    SPENER. 

Electoral  Highness,  did  not  impose  silence  upon  me. 
Moreover,  it  would  be  difficult  to  comprehend  how  it 
could  be  otherwise.  Our  gracious  Elector,  who  is 
such  a  stout-hearted  warrior,  and  who,  as  the  sainted 
Dr.  Weller  used  to  say  of  him,  it  is  difficult  to  lift  out 
of  his  saddle  when  once  firmly  seated  in  it,  Fortissimus 
in  prima  acie,  as  we  find  in  the  Maccabees — but  you  do 
not  understand  Latin, — our  gracious  Elector,  who, 
about  five  years  ago,  when  the  Turks  were  defeated  at 
Vienna,  planted  the  first  Christian  banner  within  the 
enemy's  camp ;  could  such  a  valiant  man,  who  does 
not  bear  the  sword  in  vain,  as  is  written  in  Romans  the 
thirteenth,  find  pleasure  in  the  doings  of  these  Pietists  ?" 

"And  what  do  you  understand  by  the  doings  of  the 
Pietists?"  queried  the  gloomy  speaker,  somewhat  hotly. 

"  The  ruin  of  learning,"  was  the  ready  reply.  "  If 
these  Pietists  gain  the  mastery,  which  they  are,  of 
course,  not  very  likely  to  do,  then  Wittenberg  and 
Leipzig  might  as  well  close  their  theological  Auditoria. 
They  care  neither  for  logic,  nor  metaphysics,  nor  apolo- 
getics, nor  polemics,  by  the  aid  of  which  latter  science, 
the  noble  Christian  art  of  disputing,  the  minister  can 
alone  perform  what  is  written  in  Matthew  the  fifth,  viz.: 
'  Let  your  light  shine  before  men.'  " 

"And  why,"  quickly  interrupted  the  other.  "  Why, 
hozv,  and  by  what  is  this  light  to  shine  ?  '  That  they 
may  see  your  good  zvorks,  and  glorify  your  Father 
which  is  in  heaven,'  adds  the  Lord.  Now  this  is  just 
it,  Sir  Master:  the  good  works,  axia  tas  metanoias  erga, 
as  Paul  says,  which  means,  as  you  know  full  well, 
works  meet  for  repentance;  these  alone  constitute  true 
learning,  and  the  true  light  before  men." 


THE  SPENERITES.  21 

"As  is  written  in  Acts,  chapter  the  twenty-sixth," 
added  the  Master  of  Arts,  at  the  same  time  regarding 
his  opponent  with  affected  astonishment.  "  Who  are 
you,"  he  continued,  "  that  you  understand  Greek, 
though  you  should  pronounce  it  more  correctly,  that 
is,  according  to  the  Reuchlian  method." 

"  My  name  can  be  nothing  to  you,"  quietly  replied 
the  other.  "  But  do  you  know  how  true  logic  is  de- 
fined?" 

"Well?"  asked  the  Master  of  Arts,  at  the  same  time 
crossing  his  right  foot  over  his  left  with  an  affected  air. 

"  You  think,"  continued  the  other,  "that  logic  is  the 
art  of  thinking  and  reasoning  correctly,  so  that  one 
thing  may  be  deduced  from  another,  clearly  and 
methodically.  Perfectly  correct;  such  is  human  logic. 
But  that  2.  pure  and  pious  thought  i?,  dilso  followed  hy  a 
pure  and  pious  zvork,  so  that  there  is  always  the  most 
perfect  agreement  between  the  will  of  God  and  that  of 
man,  that  ye  are  doers  of  the  word,  and  not  hearers  or 
preachers  only ;  this,  sir,  is  Christian  logic." 

"  You  ought  to  apply  for  the  chair  of  the  professor 
of  philosophy  at  Wittenberg,"  ironically  remarked  the 
Master  of  Arts. 

"  And  why  not  ?"  asked  the  other.  "  For  I  can  also 
tell  you  what  Christian  metaphysics  is.  You  regard  it 
as  the  first  and  noblest  philosophical  science,  because 
you  pretend  to  have  found  out  by  means  of  it,  the 
Almighty,  and  discovered  the  secrets  of  His  govern- 
ment. Well,  yes,  this  is  human  metaphysics.  But  to 
submit  humbly  to  God,  to  worship  God  in  spirit  and  in 
truth,  and  to  become  daily  more  certain  of  victory  in 
our  warfare  against  the  lusts  of  this  world,  so  that  we 


22  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

may  be  able  to  do  all  things  through  Christ,  who 
strengtheneth  us,  and  know  that  the  fear  of  the  Lord 
is  the  beginning  of  wisdom :  this,  sir,  is  Christian 
metaphysics.     Do  you  follow  me,  Sir  Master?" 

"  Truly,"  he  replied,  with  haughty  scorn.  "  I  should 
scarcely  have  believed  it  possible  that  I  could  learn 
from  you  so  much  of  what  is  new  to  me.  May  I  beg 
you  to  proceed  ?" 

"  With  pleasure,"  continued  the  other.  "  You  im- 
agine that  the  Pietists,  for  by  this  term  you  charac- 
terize those  who  endeavor  to  lead  a  life  of  piety, 
according  to  the  instruction  and  example  of  Dr. 
Spener,  also  care  nothing  about  apologetics.  What  do 
you  understand  by  apologetics  ?  The  art  of  defending 
our  Christian  faith  against  its  enemies.  Veiy  well. 
And  how  do  you  do  this?  You  write  books  upon 
books,  and  know  how  to  prove  by  a  thousand  argu- 
ments, nicely  arranged  in  battle  array,  that  you  are  in 
the  right.  This  is  liiunan  apologetics.  But  how  does 
the  Christian  apologist  defend  his  faith  ?  Not  with  the 
tongue,  not  with  books,  but  with  his  own  life  and  con- 
duct. He  pursues  his  way  quietly  and  submissively, 
and  receives  with  gratitude  and  a  contented  spirit  his 
daily  bread ;  he  becomes  rich  in  God,  the  more  his 
riches  in  worldly  goods  and  friendship  decrease;  he 
loves  his  enemies ;  he  blesses  them  that  curse  him ;  he 
does  good  to  them  that  hate  him,  and  prays  for  them 
that  despitefully  use  and  persecute  him ;  he  loves  sin- 
cerely and  fervently  just  as  he  believes  sincerely  and 
fervently,  and  so  lives,  that  even  his  very  enemies  shall 
be  constrained,  in  view  of  his  patience  in  the  Lord,  his 
penitence  and  fruits  of  righteousness,  to  pay  him   the 


THE  SPENERITES.  23 

same  tribute  of  praise,  which  was  aforetimes  paid  by- 
heathen  hps  to  our  Saviour  on  the  Cross  by  acknowl- 
edging and  confessing,  of  a  truth,  this  is  a  righteous 
man.  The  Christian's  faith  must,  after  all,  come  from 
God.  This  is  Christian  apologetics.  Shall  I  now  tell 
you  in  what  (Zhx'isWzxi polemics  consist?" 

"  I  will  not  exhaust  your  learning  to  its  dregs,"  peev- 
ishly replied  the  Master  of  Arts,  "  especially  since  I  do 
not  know  even  to  whom  I  am  indebted  for  such  pro- 
found instruction." 

"  My  name  can  in  no  way  concern  you,"  repeated  the 
other,  casting,  at  the  same  time,  a  friendly  glance  towards 
the  peasants,  who  were  nodding  their  gratitude. 

The  Master  of  Arts,  completely  nonplused,  was  at 
a  loss  what  to  do.  It  may  be  that  he  felt  somewhat 
ashamed,  before  his  young  neighbor,  of  having  come 
out  of  the  conflict  without  that  promised  victory,  and 
yet  his  tongue  refused  to  give  utterance  to  the  words, 
by  which  he  would  have  liked  to  have  secured  it. 
"  Here  you  can  see,"  he  at  length  said  to  him  in  a  half- 
whisper,  "that  one  gains  no  honor  by  disputing  with 
this  sort  of  men.  They  are  ignorant  of  the  principal 
thing,  namely,  logic.  How  can  we  gather  grapes  of 
thorns,  or  figs  of  thistles,  as  is  written  in  Matthew  the 
seventh.  If  you  have  no  objection,  we  will  leave  this 
house  together,  and  enter  again  into  another  city." 

"  Let  us  stay  a  little  longer,"  replied  the  artist,  "  for  I 
like  it  here  very  well ;  besides,  I  perceive  that  these  peo- 
ple are  preparing  to  depart,  and  when  they  shall  once  be 
gone  we  can  more  quietly  continue  our  conversation." 

The  peasants  had  finished  their  repast ;  the  old  man, 
the  same  who  had  said  grace,  now  made  a  sign  to  his 


24  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

companions,  whereupon  all  rose  up  and  ranged  them- 
selves around  the  table  as  before  for  returning  thanks. 
The  old  man  began:  "O  give  thanks  unto  the  Lord, for 
He  is  good;  for  His  mercy  endureth  forever.  Bless  the 
Lord,  O  my  soul,  and  forget  not  all  His  benefits.  What 
shall  I  render  unto  the  Lord  for  all  His  benefits  towards 
me  ?  I  will  take  the  cup  of  salvation,  and  call  upon  the 
name  of  the  Lord.  I  will  pay  my  vows  unto  the  Lord 
now  in  the  presence  of  all  His  people."     • 

The  same  woman  who  had  taken  part  before  added : 

"  Lord  Jesus,  Thee  our  thanks  we  bring 
That  Thou  our  gracious  guest  hast  been." 

When  all  responded.  Amen.  They  now  paid  the  host- 
ess for  their  repast,  shook  hands  with  the  grave-looking 
gentleman  in  the  corner,  bade  the  others  a  friendly  good- 
bye, and  took  their  departure.  But  the  Master  of  Arts 
turned  to  his  neighbor,  and  remarked  in  an  angry  voice, 
"That  man  yonder  does  not  budge  an  inch.  Yet  it  will 
not  do  for  me  to  leave  before  he  does,  else  he  might 
think  that  I  am  afraid  of  him." 

The  subject  of  these  remarks  seemed,  however,  alto- 
gether unconscious  of  the  presence  of  others,  for  he  had 
already  again  taken  up  his  book,  and  was  engaged  in 
its  perusal  more  earnestly  than  ever. 

"Are  you  willing  to  give  up  to  that  man?"  asked  the 
artist  of  the  Master  of  Arts  in  a  very  low  whisper. 
"  Were  I  in  your  place,  I  would  not  give  over  till  I  had 
driven  him  from  the  field  ;  for  you  are,  doubtless,  so 
much  superior  to  him  in  learning,  that  you  will  not  be 
long  in  gaining  an  easy  victory." 

The  rofjue — one  miijht  have  read  this  in  his  light 


THE  SPENERITES.  2? 

smile — cared  far  less  about  the  Master  of  Arts  carrying 
off  the  victory,  than  for  the  dispute  itself,  which  had  be- 
gun really  to  amuse  him.  But  the  Master  of  Arts,  thus 
reminded  of  his  literary  fame,  drew  his  hand  across  his 
brow,  as  if  endeavoring  to  find  the  most  effectual  means 
by  which  to  drive  his  adversary  from  the  field.  At 
length,  turning  towards  him,  he  said,  "  May  I  ask  what 
book  that  is  you  are  reading  ?" 

"  Why  not  ?"  was  the  reply.  "  Its  title  is,  Pia  Desid- 
eria,  or  sincere  desire  for  such  reform  of  the  true  Evan- 
gelical Church  as  is  acceptable  to  God.  And  the  name  of 
the  author  is  Dr.  Philipp  Jacob  Spener,  court  chaplain 
and  confessor  to  his  Electoral  Highness  of  Saxony,  and 
counsellor  of  the  Consistory.  And,  if  you  desire  it,  I 
will  tell  you  what  I  have  just  now  been  reading." 

And,  without  waiting  for  an  answer,  he  immediately 
continued,  not  without  a  touch  of  irony  in  his  voice, 
"  '  Chapter  third.  Defects  of  ministers.  As  there  is  a 
lamentable  state  of  things  among  the  laity,  so  also  it 
must,  alas,  be  confessed,  that  there  is  much  corruption 
among  the  clergy,  and  much  of  the  evil  now  found 
among  the  common  people  must  be  ascribed  to  the 
example  of  the  higher  classes.'  " 

"  I  want  none  of  your  moralizing,"  interrupted  the 
Master  of  Arts.  But  the  other  did  not  heed  him,  and 
continued  : 

" '  It  must  be  confessed,  that  there  are  not  only  to  be 
found  in  the  office  of  the  ministiy,  here  and  there,  men 
who  are  by  no  means  free  from  giving  public  offence,  but, 
also,  that  the  number  of  those  who  have  no  proper 
appreciation  of  Christianity,  which  does  not  merely  con- 
sist in  abstinence  from  open  vice,  and  in  a  moral  life,  is 
not  so  large  as  at  first  view  appears.' " 


26  nilLIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

"Save  me  from  your  uncalled-for  sermon,"  the  Mas- 
ter of  Arts  again  interrupted  him.  But  the  other  did 
not  suffer  himself  to  be  disturbed,  and  said,  "  I  must  at 
least  finish  the  sentence:  'Thus,  then,  there  are  many, 
whose  lives,  when  viewed  with  common  eyes,  eyes  influ- 
enced by  the  prevailing  fashion  of  the  times,  appear 
without  reproach,  among  whom  is  yet  apparent,  although 
in  a  subtle  form,  so  much  of  the  spirit  of  the  world 
shown  in  the  lusts  of  the  flesh,  the  lusts  of  the  eye  and 
the  pride  of  life,  that  it  is  evident  that  they  have  never 
seriously  undertaken  to  comply  with  the  very  first  re- 
quirements of  the  gospel,  namely,  with  that  of  self- 
denial'  " 

"  How  flat  this  sounds !"  criticised  the  Master  of  Arts, 
who  found  it  necessary  to  give  a  different  turn  to  the 
conversation,  "precisely  like  the  sermons  of  that  cele- 
brated man.  It  lacks  point,  power  and  unction.  It  is 
neither  Leipzig  nor  Wittenberg  style.  It  must  be 
Frankfurt  style.  What  a  different  kind  of  man  was  our 
sainted  Lucius.  Even  the  very  titles,  or,  if  you  choose, 
the  themes  of  his  sermons,  were  full  of  life  and  power, 
and  every  word  was  poetic.  I  always  carry  a  few  of 
them  about  with  me,  not  so  much  with  a  view  of  receiv- 
ing any  instruction  therefrom,  as  for  enjoyment." 

The  Master  of  Arts  hereupon  drew  forth  from  his 
pocket  a  few  small  tracts,  assorted  them  carefully,  and 
then  continued :  "  Here  is  a  funeral  sermon  from  this 
same  Dr.  Lucius,  referred  to,  on  2  Cor.  iv.  8-10,  where 
we  are  told  that  Paul  was  enabled  to  submit  to  all  kinds 
of  sufferings.  Now,  what  theme,  think  you,  that  learned 
man  has  deduced  from  these  words.  Here  it  is — '  TJie 
most  effectual  cooler  under  the  heat  of  affliction  f  How 
sublime  and  forcible  and  pointed !" 


THE  SPENERITES.  27 

"Truly,"  assented  the  artist,  "I  am  instantly  reminded 
of  a  scorching  summer's  day  in  Naples,  when  one 
plunges  into  the  sea  to  cool  off." 

The  Master  of  Arts  cast  an  inquiring  look  at  his 
neighbor,  but  seeing  that  he  appeared  altogether  serious, 
he  continued,  "  The  second  sermon  of  the  sainted  Lu- 
cius was  preached  on  the  words,  '  Be  not  overcome  of 
evil,  but  overcome  evil  with  good  !'  And  what  is  the 
theme  ?  'Glorious  victory  of  the  chariots  of  Israel  and 
the  horsemen  thereof  What  originality !  What 
poetry." 

"  Undoubtedly,"  said  the  artist.  "  I  can  picture  to 
myself,  how  the  Israelites  are  laying  about  them  with 
their  halberts  and  war-clubs,  and  how  King  Pharaoh  is 
drowning  in  the  Red  Sea;  and  then  the  smoke  of  battle 
and  the  roar  of  cannon  !  What  a  fine  picture  this  would 
make  on  canvas  !" 

"You  look  at  this  matter,"  replied  the  Master  of 
Arts,  "  in  a  somewhat  too  worldly  light.  Moreover, 
you  must  remember  that  in  Moses'  time  gunpowder 
had  not  yet  been  discovered !  But  the  most  elegant 
sermon  which  I  have  ever  heard  Dr.  Lucius  deliver, 
or  even  read,  is  this  one,  on  the  death  of  the  court- 
chaplain,  the  sainted  Dr.  Weller.  The  very  selection 
of  the  text,  shows  consummate  taste  and  tact.  It  is 
taken  from  Isaiah  xxxviii.  14,  and  reads  thus :  '  Like 
a  crane  or  a  swallow,  so  did  I  chatter:  I  did  mourn 
as  a  dove !'  And  now  comes  the  theme.  '  The  mourn- 
ing dove,  jfesiis  !  or  the  anxious  anxiety  and  groaning 
of  a  believing  soid  in  misery  and  death  !'  Can  you 
imagine  anything  more  striking  and  appropriate  for  a 
funeral  sermon  than  this  ?" 


28  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

"  Certainly  not,"  answered  the  artist.  "  One  really 
sees  the  soul  anxiously  fluttering  about  like  a  dove." 

"  You  are  again  viewing  the  subject  in  a  too  worldly 
light,"  said  the  Master  of  Arts,  reprovingly.  "  But  what 
say  you  to  it?"  he  continued,  turning  to  the  third  guest, 
who  seemed,  however,  not  to  have  paid  the  slightest 
attention  to  the  discourse  about  the  sermons ;  for  he 
continued  to  read  so  earnestly  in  his  book,  that  he  did 
not  hear  the  question  addressed  to  him. 

"  Here  you  have  the  Pietist,"  said  the  ill-natured 
questioner  to  his  neighbor.  "  Only  a  word  about  learn- 
ing, science  and  poetry,  and  they  are  like  clouds  without 
water — like  trees,  whose  fruit  withereth,  without  fruit, 
twice  dead,  plucked  up  by  the  roots,  as  may  be  read 
in  the  epistle  of  Jude.  *  They  have  ears,  but  hear 
not'  (Psalm  115.)"  With  this  he  returned  his  cele- 
brated sermons  to  his  pocket,  favored  the  impolite 
reader  with  one  of  his  most  contemptuous  scowls,  and 
muttered  between  his  teeth :  ^ Nolite  porcos  margaritis 
ornare^  Matthew  the  seventh." 

The  artist  could  not  conceal,  by  a  smile,  which  he 
vainly  strove  to  repress,  how  greatly  he  enjoyed  the 
impotent  wrath  of  the  Master  of  Arts.  When,  there- 
fore, profound  silence  had  ensued  among  the  guests, 
he  turned  to  his  neighbor  with  the  question,  "  Honored 
Master  of  Arts,  you  have  several  times  made  use  of  the 
term  'Pietist,'  a  term  which  is  altogether  new  to  me. 
Will  you  explain  its  meaning  ?" 

"A  Pietist,"  quickly  replied  the  scholar,  seizing  the 
opportunity  thus  afforded  to  revenge  himself  on  his  im- 
movable opponent,  "  a  Pietist  is  one  who  regards  it  as 
a  mortal  sin  to  wear  an  embroidered  handkerchief  and  a 


THE  SPENERITES.  2Q 

wig  ;  one  who  fasts  every  other  day,  and  wears  shabby 
garments  ;  one  who  talks  from  morning  till  night  about 
godliness,  and  who,  on  Wednesdays  and  Saturdays, 
attends  Spener's  examina.     This  is  a  Pietist." 

"  Mr.  Nullenbrecher,  (for  such,  I  believe,  is  your 
name,)"  cried  the  excited  guest,  "  you  understand  Latin 
and  Greek,  Hebrew  and  Chaldaic;  but  with  all  your 
learning,  you  are  still  not  worthy  to  loose  the  latchet 
of  the  shoes  of  a  man  like  the  reverend  Spener." 

"  Who  are  you,"  asked  the  Master  of  Arts,  his  face 
crimson  with  rage,  "  that  you  address  to  me  such  in- 
sulting language — to  me,  a  well-approved  candidaUis 
of  the  holy  ndnistcnuin — to  me,  a  rite  practised  Magis- 
ter  of  the  liberal  arts,  and  pJulosophice  Doctor — to  me, 
the  everywhere  highly  respected  cousin  of  the  favorite 
courtier  of  his  Electoral  Highness,  Herr  von  Langen- 
dorf?" 

"  Who  I  am,"  replied  the  other,  more  coolly  than  be- 
fore, "  can  be,  as  I  now  tell  you,  for  the  third  time,  of 
but  little  concern  to  you.  It  suffices  you  to  be  told 
that  I  am  a  Spenerite ;  or,  if  you  prefer  it,  a  Pietist ;  for 
I  do  not,  as  you  see,  wear  a  wig.  You  are,  doubtless, 
a  very  learned  man,  and  lack,  of  being  also  a  learned 
Christian,  at  least  one  thing.  In  order  to  find  out  what 
that  is,  you  need  only  attend  on  next  Sunday,  the  Elec- 
toral Chapel,  and  after  you  have  sung  the  f(5llowing 
verse,  from  a  h3aTin  by  Schamelius,  viz. : 

'Alas!  how  sore  afraid  am  I, 

My  inmost  soul  is  moving, 
Because  so  many  days  passed  by. 

Which  I've  not  been  improving. 
Wisdom  can  none  but  God  supply, 
Yet  I,  in  self-love,  did  rely 
On  my  poor  strength  to  gain  it.' 


^Q  PHILIP P  JACOB   SPENER. 

"And  after  you  shall  have  asked  yourself  the  question, 
'  What  lack  I  yet,  that  I  may  have  eternal  life  ?'  you 
need  only  turn  your  eyes  towards  the  pulpit.  There 
you  will  see  a  man,  whose  name  is  Philipp  Jacob 
Spener.  And  you  need  not  listen  long  till  you  shall 
have  received  to  your  inquiry,  what  you  still  lack  to 
be  a  Christian — the  answer,  '  Everything.'  " 

"I  ask  you  once  more,  who  are  you?"  exclaimed 
Master  NuUenbrecher,  in  a  furious  rage,  at  the  same 
time  leaping  from  his  chair. 

"  Well,"  was  the  reply,  "  if  you  attach  so  much  im- 
portance to  my  name,  know,  then,  that  it  is  Andreas 
Petermann,  and  that  I  am  the  school-master  of  the  town 
of  Lockwitz." 

"A  school-master!"  exclaimed  the  Master  of  Arts, 
disdainfully,  and  turned  his  back  towards  him. 

"  Oh,"  continued  Petermann,  "  if  you  want  titles  and 
honors,  I  can  accommodate  you  with  them  also.  I  have, 
in  Wittenberg,  studied  thcologiam  ;  I  am  Notarhis  Pub- 
licus  CcBsariiis ;  I  have  learned  enough  of  the  Electoral 
Court  physician,  Dr.  Buerger,  to  cure  you  of  any  fever, 
or  to  reset  any  dislocated  part  of  your  soul  or  body. 
Again,  I  have  learned  enough  of  the  late  writing-mas- 
ter, Weisshuhn,  to  write  either  in  Roman  or  Gothic 
characters,  or  in' running  hand,  with  all  sorts  of  orna- 
mental Nourishes,  the  patent  of  your  pedigree  or  semi- 
nobility  ;  and,  in  case  you  should  be  a  friend  to  law- 
suits. Dr.  Nikolai,  of  Dresden,  has  sufficiently  instructed 
me  to  give  you  good  legal  advice,  how  to  let  honest 
men  alone ;  and  also,  at  the  same  time,  to  set  up  for 
you  a  letter  of  apology  and  honorable  amende,  for 
which  I  am  at  your  service,  free  of  all  charge.     I  am, 


THE    SPENERITES.  ^I 

moreover,  sufficiently  skilled  in  music  to  favor  you, 
either  upon  the  harp  or  the  organ,  with  David's  peni- 
tential psalm  :  '  O  Lord  !  rebuke  me  not  in  Thine  anger, 
neither  chasten  me  in  Thy  hot  displeasure  ;  or,  if  you 
prefer  to  have  it  in  Hebrew :  ydiovaJi,  albeaphga  thoki- 
ckeni.'  " 

After  Petermann  had,  in  this  wise,  enumerated  his 
titles  and  honors,  he  again  quietly  resumed  his  book. 
But  Nullenbrecher  behaved  like  an  enraged  lion.  He 
walked  up  and  down  the  room  with  such  long  and  rapid 
strides,  that  he  shook  the  powder  from  his  wig.  Sev- 
eral times  he  appeared  ready  to  begin  his  defence  in  a 
powerful  manner,  but  seemed  again  unable  to  command 
the  desired  language.  At  length,  with  a  sudden  reso- 
lution, he  grasped  his  hat  and  cane,  and  said,  in  a  tone 
of  half-smothered  rage,  as  if  soliloquizing,  "  Why  should 
I  vex  myself  with  him  ?  He  is  a  Spencrite,  a  Pietist. 
'A  man  that  is  a  heretic,  reject,'  (Titus  iii.  lo,)"  and 
unceremoniously  left  the  room. 

Petermann  appeared  not  to  have  been  in  the  least 
disturbed  by  this  demonstration ;  for  he  continued 
quietly  to  read  his  book,  as  if  nothing  had  happened. 
But  the  young  artist  was  visibly  affected,  and  one  might 
have  noticed,  by  the  thoughful  expression  of  his  eyes, 
that  some  resolution  was  maturing  in  his  mind.  At 
length  he  arose,  approached  the  school-master  with 
unfeigned  respect,  and  said,  "  Mr.  Petermann,  can  you 
forgive  me  for  having  caricatured  you  on  the  table  with 
chalk?" 

"  It  is  already  forgotten,  young  man,"  replied  the 
school-master,  with  unexpected  affability,  whilst  ex- 
tendiner  his  hand. 


32  PHILIP P   JACOB   SPENER. 

"  How  glad  I  am,"  continued  the  artist,  "  that  you 
administered  such  a  sound  rebuke  to  that  conceited 
Master  of  Arts,  to  whom  I  conceived  an  aversion  at 
first  sight.  It  is  true  I  understand  little  or  nothing 
about  your  learned  dispute,  yet  this  much  is  clear  to 
me,  that  you  are  more  honest  in  your  profession  of 
Christianity  than  Master  Nullenbrecher,  for  by  this 
name  I  believe  you  called  him?" 

"  Yes,"  said  Petermann,  "  as  often  as  I  see  him 
my  blood  begins  to  boil ;  not  only  because  he  is  so 
exceedingly  vain  of  his  learning,  which  he  displays 
on  each  and  every  occasion,  but  also  because  he  has 
succeeded,  by  means  of  his  literary  fame  and  semi- 
nobility,  to  so  blindfold  a  wealthy,  but  weak  artisan 
of  Dresden,  that  he  promised  him  his  only  daughter 
in  marriage,  a  maiden  who  excels  in  true  Christian 
piety.  You  look  at  me  with  surprise,  my  young 
friend,  and  you  think  me,  perhaps,  the  victim  of  jeal- 
ousy. If  so,  you  may  dismiss  such  thoughts,  for  the 
maiden  of  whom  I  speak  numbers  only  about  eighteen 
summers,  whilst  I  have  seen  fifty,  and  am,  as  you 
perceive,  already  gray,  if  not  with  Jioiior,  at  least  with 
joyr 

"What  is  the  name  of  this  maiden?"  hastily  asked 
the  artist.  "  Since  I  have  seen,  in  Italy,  Madonnas 
painted  from  life,  for  I  myself  have  never  ventured 
upon  such  a  subject,  tlie  very  expression,  'pious 
maiden',  fills  me  with  enthusiasm." 

"  The  name  need  but  little  concern  you,"  replied  the 
schoolmaster.  "  It  is  enough  for  you  to  know  that 
she  is  somewhat  related  to  mc  on  her  mother's  side. 
If  your  stay  in  Italy  has  not  altogether  spoiled  you, 


THE  SPENERITES.  ^^ 

SO  that  you  still  find  pleasure  in  gazing  upon  the 
scenery  around  Lockwitz,  and  if  you  have  besides 
no  aversion  to  the  solitary  and  somewhat  rough  life 
of  an  old  bachelor,  a  condition,  which,  in  my  case, 
is  more  the  result  of  circumstances  than  choice,  pay 
me  an  early  visit ;  you  shall  be  heartily  welcome  to 
my  house." 

"  You  show  me  much  kindness,  Mr.  Petermann," 
said  the  artist,  "  and  yet  do  not  even  so  much  as 
know  who  I  am,  and  what  my  name  is." 

"  Your  name  can  concern  me  but  little,"  replied  the 
old  man,  with  his  stereotyped  expression.  "  I  care  for 
the  thing,  the  reality,  the  inner  man,  as  my  favorite 
Apostle  Paul  expresses  himself;  after  the  external 
man  I  never  inquire,  and  therefore  also,  only  make 
answer  concerning  my  own,  when  people,  such  as 
Master  Nullenbrecher,  "make  inquiries  concerning  it." 

"  Do  you  occasionally  visit  the  city,"  inquired  the 
youth. 

"  Often,"  was  the  answer,  "  yet  always  only  with  a 
view  to  one  object,  and  for  the  sake  of  one  man.  The 
object  is  to  slake  my  thirst  after  the  knowledge  of 
true  Christianity,  and  the  man's  name  is  Spener." 

"  Well,"  added  the  artist,  with  confiding  frankness, 
"add  to  this  man  one  other,  or  rather  only  a  young 
fellow — myself.  If  you  would  visit  me  only  once  in 
the  house  of  my  father,  I  would  willingly  visit  you  ten 
times  in  return.  My  father  resides  in  Pirna  street,  and 
is  an  able  goldsmith ;  Guldenmeyer  by  name." 

"  And  are  you  George  Guldenmeyer,  his  only  son  ?" 
asked  Petermann,  quickly. 

"  Yes.  I  am,"  was  the  reply.     "  Do  you  know  me  ?" 

2* 


34  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

Petermann  rose  up,  crossed  his  hands  behind  his 
back,  shook  his  head  thoughtfully,  and  said  in  a  low 
voice,  "  Wonderful  Divine  Providence,"  and  then,  turn- 
ing to  the  youth,  he  added,  "  I  shall  very  soon  pay 
you  a  visit,  George  Guldenmeyer.  God  protect  you. 
Hasten  on,  that  father  and  sister  may  soon  rejoice  in 
seeing  you."  Then  the  singular  old  man  shook  the 
youth  warmly  by  the  hand,  placed  his  book  under  his 
arm,  and  passed  hastily  out  of  the  house. 

George  Guldenmeyer,  deeply  moved,  followed  him 
with  his  eyes  through  the  window,  cast  a  remorseful 
look  at  the  remains  of  his  chalk-sketch  upon  the 
table,  and  said:  "I  would  give  something  if  I  had 
never  drawn  this  caricature,"  as  he  rubbed  out,  with 
his  handkerchief,  the  last  trace  of  that  unsolicited, 
but,  as  it  appeared,  well-paid  sketch.  Handing  to  the 
hostess  the  last  of  his  money,  in  payment  of  his 
entertainment,  he  once  more  resumed  his  journey  to 
Dresden. 


CHAPTER    II. 

THE   ACQUAINTANCE   IN  THE    CARRIAGE. 

"He  was  a  good  man,  and  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and  of  faith." — 
Acts  xi.  24. 

GEORGE  GULDENMEYER  continued  his  jour- 
ney at  a  much  slower  pace  than  was  agreeable  to 
his  anxiety  to  meet  again  his  father  and  sister.  His 
sore  foot  began  both  to  pain  him  and  retard  his 
progress,  and  he  often  halted  and  looked  back  to  see 
whether  there  was  not  some  chance  vehicle  coming 
up  behind  him,  in  which  he  might  secure  a  seat  for 
the  remainder  of  the  way.  When,  therefore,  after 
some  time,  a  sound,  like  that  produced  by  running 
wheels,  struck  upon  his  ear,  and  when,  soon  after,  a 
carriage,  drawn  by  two  horses,  drove  in  sight,  just  after 
having  rounded  a  curve  in  the  road,  which  was  hidden 
by  a  clump  of  trees  laden  with  fruit,  thus  leaving  no 
longer  any  doubt  of  his  wish  being  realized,  his  cour- 
age revived,  and  he  was  now  only  impatient  at  the 
tardiness  of  the  approach. 

"  It  really  seems,"  he  peevishly  exclaimed,  "  as  if  it 
contained  an  invalid."  For  the  horses,  besides  giving 
evidence,  by  their  appearance,  of  being  a  well-fed  and 
strong  pair  of  animals,  were  with  difficulty  restrained, 
by  the  driver,  from  running. 

The  carriage  had  now  approached  so  near  that 
George  Guldenmeyer  could  distinctly  recognize,  as  its 

(35) 


36  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

only  occupant,  a  gentleman  dressed  in  black ;  and,  on 
looking  closer,  he  noticed  with  a  smile,  that  he  was 
again  iibout  coming  in  contact  with  a  person  who  was 
intellectually  employed,  at  a  time  when  others  usually 
attend  only  to  the  physical  part  of  their  natures ;  for 
the  gentleman  in  the  carriage  was  engaged  in  atten- 
tively reading  in  a  small,  gilt-edged  volume.  Our 
traveler  had  calculated  on  being  noticed  by  the  distin- 
tinguished  gentleman,  and  invited  to  a  seat  beside 
him ;  but  the  occupant  was  so  intent  upon  his  book, 
that  he  did  not  even  see  the  pedestrian  at  the  road- 
side, to  whom,  now,  no  other  alternative  remained, 
than  that  of  boldly  asking  for  the  coveted  favor. 

"  Pardon  me,"  shouted  George  into  the  carriage, 
"  does  your  way  take  you  to  Dresden  ?" 

"  Yes,  my  friend,"  replied  the  gentleman,  starting  up 
in  some  surprise,  but  adding  immediately  in  a  tone  of 
kindness,  "  If  you  wish  to  accompany  me,  jump  in." 

"  If  you  have  no  objection,"  said  George,  at  the 
same  time  placing  one  foot  upon  the  carriage-step, 
and  drawing  the  other  one  up  after  him  with  a 
somewhat  rueful  expression  of  countenance.  "  You 
do  me  a  great  kindness,"  he  added,  apologetically, 
"  for  my  sore  foot  would  scarcely  have  carried  me  to 
the  city.  Besides,  the  weight  of  my  whole  body  will 
prove  less  burdensome  to  your  sprightly  horses,  than 
this  shoe  is  to  my  poor  foot.  And  if  my  presence 
does  not  otherwise  incommode  you — " 

"  Not  in  the  least,"  replied  the  gentleman,  "  you 
may  already  see,  by  this  book,  that  I  am  fond  of  trav- 
eling in  company," 

"But,"  suggested  the  artist,  very  politely,  "will  my 


ACQUAINTANCE  IN  THE  CARRIAGE.  ^7 

companionship  make  amends  for  that  of  which  I  am 
about  to  deprive  you  ?" 

"  If  you  love  candor,"  returned  the  other,  "  I  cer- 
tainly feel  constrained  to  say  no;  that  is,  in  case  I  had 
reason  to  be  apprehensive  of  sustaining  any  loss  ;  for, 
should  any  thing  contained  in  this  book  become  lost, 
no  man  on  earth  could  ever  replace  it." 

This  reply  caused  George  some  little  uneasiness. 
Might  not  this  very  candor,  on  the  part  of  his  com- 
panion, be  an  indication  of  ill  humor  or  vexation,  on 
account  of  his  intrusion?  He  cast  an  inquiring  look 
toward  him.  But  the  kindness  that  beamed  from  his 
noble  countenance  could  not  be  mistaken,  especially 
by  one  gazing  into  those  soft,  mild,  large,  open  eyes. 
He  wore  no  wig — a  circumstance  that  appeared  singu- 
lar, at  a  period  when  the  fashion  of  wearing  them  was 
at  its  height;  but  his  thick,  soft,  auburn  hair  being 
parted  over  his  forehead,  fell  in  long  and  natural 
ringlets  upon  his  shoulders.  On  his  head,  he  wore  a 
close-fitting,  black  skull-cap,  which,  however,  did  not 
hide  his  broad  and  lofty  forehead.  Although  his  chin 
and  upper  lip  were  somewhat  shaded  by  short  tufts 
of  hair,  he  was  far  from  presenting  a  martial  appear- 
ance; on  the  contrary,  the  mild  and  kindly  expression 
of  his  countenance  seemed  to  be  made  up  of  such  a 
well-ordered  combination  of  tranquillity,  equanimity, 
submissiveness,  and  truthfulness,  that  the  idea  of  the 
presence  of  worldliness,  restlessness,  fear,  or  of  any  evil 
passion  did  not  occur  to  the  beholder. 

The  artist,  whose  observation  these  features  did,  of 
course,  not  escape,  could  not,  in  his  embarrassment, 
find    an    answer ;    he   therefore   extricated   himself  by 


^8  PHTLIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

alluding  to  his  sore  foot,  saying,  "  Nothing  can  be 
more  disagreeable  to  the  pedestrian  than  tight  shoes. 
I  shall  have  cause  to  remember  a  certain  shoemaker 
in  Prague  a  great  deal  longer  than  he  deserves." 

"  Have  you  then  made  this  long  journey  entirely  on 
foot?"  asked  the  elder  of  the  two. 

"  Yes,  and  a  much  longer  one,"  was  the  answer. 
"  I  am,  by  profession,  an  artist,  just  returning  from  the 
true  home  of  art.  I  come  from  Italy.  Ah,  sir,  have 
you  ever  been  there  ?  Have  you  ever  breathed  the 
ambrosial  breezes  of  Italy?" 

"  I  have  inhaled  a  little,  continuing  your  figure," 
said  the  other,  smiling,  "as  far  as  this  is  possible, 
in  going  from  Geneva  to  Lyons." 

"  What  a  delightful  country!  what  a  beautiful  sky!" 
exclaimed  George,  with  visible  rapture,  called  forth  by 
the  remembrance.  "  Had  I  not  been  obliged  to  return 
to  this  bleak  and  dreary  country,  I  would  have  built 
me  a  cottage,  and  remained  in  the  only  land  where 
men  know  what  life  is." 

"  Well,  and  what  is  life  ?"  asked  the  other. 

"  Life  !"  exclaimed  George,  his  eyes  sparkling  with 
enthusiasm,  "  life,  is  to  understand  the  language  of 
the  earth  and  sky,  mountains  and  valleys,  forests  and 
fields,  rivers  and  oceans.  Life  exists  only  where  man 
emerges  from  his  night  of  fretfulness  and  unworthy 
anxiety  into  the  genial  sunlight,  drinking  in,  with  eyes 
and  lungs,  vigor  and  energy ;  life  is  only  a  marriage 
between  the  soul  and  the  wonderful  glory  of  heaven 
and  earth.  Have  you  ever  heard  of  the  statue  of 
Memnon,  in  the  land  of  the  Ethiopians  ?  When  the 
first  beam  of  the  rising  sun  sheds  his  light  upon  it,  it 


AlOQUAINTANCE  IX  THE  CARRIAGE. 


39 


utters  loud  and  joyous  sounds,  but  sings  a  mournful 
funeral  dirge  at  his  setting.  Hence,  it  is  called  the 
Son  of  th-e  inoniing.  Thus,  also,  should  man  be 
called  ;  for  it  is  only  with  the  morning  light,  that  man 
awakens  to  true  life  !  Surely,  life  is  only  when  there 
is  light  and  warmth.  Hence,  Sons  of  the  morning  are 
only  to  be  found  in  Hesperus,  in  Arcadia,  in  the  home 
of  the  Muses  and  Graces,  but  not  in  this  bleak  and 
cheerless  Saxonland,  which  lies  between  heat  and 
cold,  and  is,  therefore,  naturally  lukewarm." 

"Ay,  ay,  my  young  friend,"  said  his  companion,  "is 
it  thus  you  disparage  your  fatherland  ?  Do  you  not 
think  that  God,  in  His  wisdom  and  goodness,  has  so 
formed  the  earth  that  men  can  be  happy  on  whatever 
portion  of  it  they  dwell  ?  And  that  every  country  is 
arched  over  by  just  such  a  sky  as  is  most  in  harmony 
with  it  ?  Do  you  not  think  that  man  with  his  religion 
becomes  a  son  of  the  morning,  and  that,  in  general, 
our  religious  faith  is  the  morning-light  of  the  new 
heaven  ?" 

"  It  is  easy  to  see,"  remarked  the  artist,  evasively, 
"  that  Saxony  is  your  fatherland." 

"  You  are  mistaken,"  continued  the  other.  "  My 
fatherland  lies  beneath  a  milder  sky  than  that  of 
Saxony,  but  precisely  like  Saxony,  beneath  the  same 
sky  which  the  hand  of  God  has  spread  out  above  the 
whole  earth,  and  which  is  illumined  and  warmed  by 
the  same  sun  as  Hesperia  and  Arcadia.  For,  my 
young  friend,  everybody's  Arcadia  is — if  the  express- 
ion be  proper — wherever  God  has  placed  him,  and 
said,  '  Here  live  and  labor,  and  run  after  that  which  is 
above,'  for  the  earth  is  everywhere  the  Lord's,  and 
everywhere  a  good  place  to  prepare  for  heaven." 


40  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

The  artist  regarded  his  companion  with  a  doubtful 
look  and  with  evident  embarrassment;  but  when  he 
beheld  beaming  from  his  mild  eyes  the  tenderest 
kindness,  and  a  quiet,  almost  fascinating  good-nature, 
he  blushed  at  his  false  suspicions,  dropt  his  eyes  and 
asked:  "Are  you  a  resident  of  Dresden,  dear  sir?" 

"  I  have  been  such  for  about  three  years  and  a 
half,"  was  the  response. 

"You  are  then,  perhaps,  acquainted  with  my  father," 
continued  the  artist  with  his  accustomed  frankness. 
"  I  mean  Mr.  Guldenmeyer  in  Pirna  street.  And  do  you 
know  my  sister  Elizabeth  ?  How  the  girl  must  have 
grown  by  this  time !  When  I  left  home  for  Italy  she 
was  just  sixteen,  and  as  I  have  been  absent  for  three 
years,  she  must  now  be  nineteen.  You  cannot  con- 
ceive how  rejoiced  I  am  at  the  prospect  of  again  see- 
ing her.  I  intend  to  surprise  her,  and  if  you  have  no 
objection,  I  will  dismount  at  the  city  gate,  and  in  spite 
of  my  lame  foot,  make  my  way  by  stealth  into  my 
father's  house.  There  is  only  one  thing  about  the 
girl  which  does  not  please  me,"  he  continued,  without 
giving  his  companion  time  to  reply  to  his  questions : 
"  Elizabeth  used  to  be  such  a  cheerful,  merry  thing, 
full  of  life  in  all  she  said  and  did ;  a  true  daughter  of 
the  morning,"  he  added  timidly.  "  Her  first  letters  to 
me  (I  carry  them  all  here  next  to  my  heart)  breathe 
nothing  but  life  and  joy:  they  are  a  real  fountain  of 
delight.  But  gradually  these  ceased  ;  her  later  letters 
became  continually  more  serious,  I  might  almost  say 
indifferent,  though  ever  full  of  a  sister's  love.  Yet  she 
talked  so  very  much  about  religion,  true  Christianity, 
and  at   one  time   even   sent   me  a  book  of  sermons, 


ACQUAINTANCE  IN  THE  CARRIAGE.  41 

entitled,  I  believe,  'The  Frankfurt  Memorial,'  written 
by  a  certain  Dr.  Spener,  but  I  found  it  impossible  to 
read  the  tedious  book  through.  This  same  Spener  is, 
I  think,  the  present  court  chaplain  at  Dresden.  Do 
you  know  him  ?" 

"Very  sh'ghtly,"  replied  the  elder,  with  an  almost 
mournful  smile.  "  However  much  I  exert  myself 
daily  to  find  him  out,  his  real  character  still  remains 
a  mystery  to  me." 

"  What  do  you  think  of  him  ?"  asked  George  fur- 
ther, not  seeming  to  heed  the  intimation  his  language 
contained. 

"I  know  only  this  much  about  him  with  certainty; 
that  he  means  well  with  himself  and  others,  and  that 
the  daily  recurring  consciousness  of  his  imperfections, 
as  well  as  his  ever  increasing  dissatisfaction  with  him- 
self, in  the  discharge  of  his  duties,  is  to  him  a  source 
of  the  deepest  sorrow,  in  which  he  finds  some  relief 
only  by  the  exercise  of  the  liveliest  trust  in  the  grace 
of  God  and  in  the  blessings  derived  from  fervent 
prayer." 

"This  sounds  very  strange,"  remarked  the  artist, 
"and  appears  to  me  as  unnecessary  as  it  is  extrava- 
gant. Why  this  needless  mortification  of  one's  self? 
A  man  can  do  no  more  than  he  is  able  !  But,"  he 
continued  after  a  short  pause,  "  the  name  of  this  man 
is  very  extensively  known.  He  is  spoken  of  in  almost 
every  country  through  which  I  passed,  by  some  in 
favorable,  and  by  others  again  in  unfavorable  terms, 
as  the  leader  of  a  sect  denominated  Pietists.  I  have 
almost  become  curious  to  know  him,  especially  since 
my  dear  sister  Elizabeth  praises  him  beyond  measure 
in  every  letter  she  writes." 


42  PHILIP P  JACOB  SPENER. 

"And  what  is  the  nature  of  the  unfavorable  reports 
about  him?"  inquired  the  elder. 

"The  unfavorable!"  repeated  the  artist,  looking 
doubtfully  at  his  companion.  "  You  are,  perhaps,  a 
friend,  or  an  acquaintance  of  the  gentleman?  If  so,  I 
should  think  you  would  rather  inquire  after  those 
which  are  favorable." 

"  Not  at  all,  my  young  friend,"  rejoined  the  other, 
with  a  quiet  look.  "The  good  which  one  man  says 
of  another  is  almost  always  mixed  up  with  error. 
Our  judgment  with  regard  to  mankind  is  often  warped 
or  misguided  either  by  a  decided  prepossession  in  his 
favor,  or  by  a  conscious  or  unconscious  partiality,  or 
by  the  want  of  a  correct  knowledge  of  human  nature 
in  general ;  whereas,  it  is,  on  the  other  hand,  part  of 
our  natures  to  perceive  the  faults,  shortcomings  and 
sins  of  others  much  more  readily  and  truly  than  their 
good  and  praiseworthy  qualities.  This  is  certainly 
very  wisely  so  designed  by  God ;  for  it  is  not  by  being 
praised  that  man  becomes  better  and  holier,  but  rather 
by  being  censured.  Therefore,  tell  me,  what  evil  is 
spoken  of  the  court-chaplain." 

"  I  have,"  replied  George,  "  hardly  the  courage  to 
repeat  the  evil  spoken  by  others.  For,  though  I  am 
still  young,  and  have  but  little  experience,  I  yet  know 
enough  to  convince  me  that  it  is,  in  all  cases,  more 
prudent  and  advantageous  to  repeat  only  the  good. 
An  evil  report  is,  as  I  once  heard,  like  an  arrow  which 
flies  in  a  curve,  till  finally  it  turns  its  point  back  upon 
the  slanderer." 

"That  may  be  so,"  assented  the  other,  "yet  not  in 
this  instance.     For,  having,  after  an  absence  of  three 


ACQUAINTANCE  IN  THE   CARRIAGE.  4-5 

years,  become  almost  a  stranger  in  these  parts,  it  is 
impossible  for  you  to  know  whether  what  you  call 
slander  may  not,  after  all,  be  a  true  and  just  verdict. 
At  all  events,"  he  continued,  "  I  give  you  the  assur- 
ance that  your  communication  shall  do  you  no  harm 
of  any  kind.  Therefore,  tell  me  frankly,  what  evil  do 
men  speak  of  the  new  court-chaplain?" 

"If  you  insist  upon  it,"  said  the  artist,  "I  must 
needs  tell  you.  Some  whom  I  heard  speak  of  him 
said  that  he  was  not  fit  for  the  court-chaplaincy  at  all, 
but  only  for  being  a  schoolmaster;  yea,  that  he  was 
not  even  a  learned  theologian,  inasmuch  as  he  could 
not  converse  in  Latin.  Others  said  he  was  a  hypo- 
crite outwardly,  seemingly  pious,  but,  inwardly  full  of 
deceit  and  depravity ;  that  he  appeared  fair  without, 
but  was,  within —  well,  now,  let  me  see;  what  were 
the  words  they  used.  They  were,  as  far  as  I  can 
remember,  a  quotation  from  the  Holy  Scriptures  about 
the  Pharisees." 

"Within,"  composedly  added  the  other,  "full  of 
dead  men's  bones,  and  of  all  uncleanness." 

"Precisely  so,"  said  George;  "that  was  it.  Again, 
others  said  that  in  Dresden  he  had  not  a  single  true 
friend ;  neither  among  the  nobles  and  men  of  rank, 
because  he  abused  them  in  his  sermons;  nor,  and 
especially,  among  the  clergy,  because  he  had  on  the 
occasion  of  his  introductory  sermon  spoken  disparag- 
ingly, not  only  of  all  his  predecessors,  but  also  of  all 
the  resident  ministers,  by  saying  that  no  one  had,  as 
yet,  preached  true  Christianity  in  Dresden,  but  that  he 
would  make  a  beginning.  I  also  heard  from  the  lips 
of  some  clergymen  that  they  dislike  him  because  he 


44  PHILIP P  JACOB  SPENER. 

considers  himself  better  than  they.  They  could  not, 
they  said,  comprehend  how  the  Elector  should  over- 
look so  many  meritorious  and  learned  men  in  his  own 
dominion  for  the  sake  of  such  a  hypocrite  from  a 
foreign  country — from  Lunneburg,  I  believe." 

"  From  Frankfurt,"  said  the  other,  correcting  him. 

"Yes,  you  are  right,"  continued  George,  "from 
Frankfurt — thus  verifying  again  the  saying  that  '  a 
prophet  is  not  without  honor,  save  in  his  own  country.' 
Some  clergymen  were  also  displeased  with  him  for 
having  been  commanded,  in  obedience  to  his  recom- 
mendation, and  in  imitation  of  his  example,  to  hold 
examina  with  the  children.  Such  puerilities,  they  said, 
were  not  becoming  the  office  of  the  ministry,  but 
belonged  only  to  that  of  the  school  master.  Also, 
that  the  Elector  himself  was  not  too  favorable  to  him, 
since  he  but  seldom  attended  his  preaching,  nor  other- 
wise held  much  intercourse  with  hmi,  which  had  not 
been  the  case  with  his  predecessors;  whilst  others 
maintained  that  the  Elector  must  certainly  be  favorable 
to  him,  because  he  had  permitted  the  use  of  the  court- 
chapel  for  his  examina,  and  had,  besides,  ordained  that 
he  should  be  exempted  from  the  paying  of  postage. 
All  this,  and  a  great  deal  more,  I  heard  about  him; 
for  you  have  no  idea  how  much  is  said  concerning  this 
man.  I  passed  through  Switzerland,  Suabia,  Fran- 
conia,  Bohemia,  and  scarcely  ever  entered  a  place  of 
entertainment  where  he  was  not  made  the  subject  of 
conversation — and  where  there  was  frequently  said 
of  him  as  much  good  in  one  place  as  there  had  been 
of  evil  in  another.  I,  observed,  however,  upon  the 
whole,  that  he  has  his  bitterest  enemies  among  the 
clergy  themselves." 


ACQUAINTANCE  IN  THE  CARRIAGE.         *     ac 

"Alas,  that  this  should  be  so!"  said  the  elder,  with 
a  mournful  look,  rather  to  himself  than  to  the  com- 
municative guest,  and  bowed  his  head. 

"I  am  sorry,"  continued  the  artist,  "if  by  my  tat- 
tling I  have  caused  you  pain.  You  are,  perhaps,  a 
friend  of  the  court-chaplain,  and  though  I  do  not 
believe  that  you  will  repeat  to  him — " 

"Make  yourself  perfectly  easy,"  interrupted  the 
other,  smiling.  "  He  already  knows  all  this.  It  was 
only  your  remark  that  the  minister  has  always  his 
bitterest  enemies  among  his  fellow-ministers,  which 
made  me  sad,  because  I  feel  that  it  is  true." 

"But,"  asked  George,  "how  does  this  come?  I 
should  think  that  those  who  preach  from  their  pulpits, 
'Love  one  another,  and  judge  not,  that  ye  be  not 
judged,'  would,  most  of  all,  practise  this  among  them- 
selves." 

"How  this  comes,  you  would  like  to  know?"  asked 
the  other,  whilst  a  deep  shade  of  sorrow  passed  over 
his  countenance.  "  Frequently  it  proceeds  from  a  feel- 
ing of  envy  and  jealousy,  if  one  meets  with  greater 
approbation  as  a  preacher  than  another,  or  derives  in 
general  more  pecuniary  gain  from  his  office;  some- 
times from  a  sense  of  pride  on  account  of  their  wisdom 
and  knowledge,  in  consequence  of  which  they  become 
inclined  to  inveigh  against  others,  in  that  in  which 
they  are  of  a  different  opinion ;  frequently  from  a  love 
of  ease,  when  another  introduces  something  new, — not 
indeed  because  they  really  regard  it  as  wrong  or 
unchristian,  but  because  they  are  afraid  of  being  obliged 
to  imitate  it,  in  the  event  of  its  finding  favor  with  the 
people,  in  which  case  their  labors  would  be  somewhat 


^6  PHILIP P  JACOB  SPENER. 

increased.  But  sometimes  it  may,  of  course,  also  pro- 
ceed from  a  true  zeal  for  the  cause  of  the  Lord.  Yet, 
in  instances  of  this  kind,  it  but  rarely  occurs  that  the 
declaration  of  Paul,  '  they  have  a  zeal,  but  not  accord- 
ing to  knowledge,'  finds  an  appropriate  application. 
What,  however,  on  the  whole,  the  individual  causes 
may  be,  it  must  be  confessed  that  this  bad  feeling,  after 
all,  proceeds  from  a  want  of  true  charity ;  for  charity 
suffereth  long,  is  kind,  vaunteth  not  itself,  is  not  puffed 
up, — and  those  whose  calling  requires  them  to  preach 
reconciliation  to  God,  should  first  practise  it  toward 
man." 

George  felt  himself  deeply  affected  by  the  discourse 
of  his  companion.  "  How  admirably,"  he  at  length 
said,  "  your  description  applies  to  an  incident  which  I 
witnessed  at  an  inn  shortly  before  you  had  the  good- 
ness to  give  me  a  seat  in  your  carriage.  It  happened 
at  the  inn  in  Lockwitz,  where  I  had  stopped  for  dinner. 
Whilst  there,  some  peasants,  with  their  wives,  who,  as 
1  learned,  had  attended  the  examina  of  the  court 
chaplain,  entered  the  guest-room.  Beside  me  sat  a 
clerical  gentleman  from  the  city,  Nullenbrecher  by 
name,  who  severely  censured  these  peasants  on  account 
of  their  attendance  upon  the  examina,  and  endeavored, 
at  the  same  time,  to  belittle  the  court-chaplain.  But  he 
found  in  a  certain  schoolmaster,  whose  name  is  Peter- 
mann,  such  a  stanch  opponent,  that  he  was  forced  to 
yield  the  field,  and  fairly  foaming  with  rage,  left  the 
room,  I  must  confess  that  the  controversy  afforded 
me  considerable  amusement,  especially  the  fact  of  that 
vain,  swaggering  Master  Nullenbrecher's  meeting  with 
his  well-deserved  reward.     The  principal  point  of  con- 


ACQUAINTANCE  IN  THE  CARRIAGE.  47 

troversy  arose, — and  about  this  I  desire  yet  to  ask 
you, — the  principal  point  arose  about  the  word  ''Pietist^' 
a  designation,  I  beheve,  apphed  to  the  followers  of  the 
court-chaplain,  Spener.  I  had  asked  Master  Nullen- 
brecher  as  to  the  real  meaning  of  the  word,  but  he 
gave  me  such  a  venomous  definition,  that  Petermann 
flew  into  a  passion,  and  disputed  the  master  clear  out 
of  the  house.  Perhaps  you  will  be  kind  enough  to  tell 
me  truly  what  a  Pietist  is." 

"A  Pietist,"  replied  the  other,  "does  not  pretend  to 
be  any  thing  more  than  a  good  Christian;  one  who  is 
truly  pious,  who  seeks  true  Christianity,  more  in  the 
exercise  of  virtue  than  in  learned  controversies;  who 
always  submits  humbly  to  the  will  q{  God,  even  in 
cases  where  he  does  not  comprehend  it,  and  who  takes 
the  revealed  Word  of  God  for  his  only  guide,  in  his 
spiritual  and  m.oral  conduct." 

"According  to  this,"  added  the  artist,  "  I  see  nothing 
in  the  least  objectionable  in  the  name;  and  yet,  it 
seems  to  me  as  if  it  were  used  mostly  in  a  sense  of 
ridicule." 

"Malice,"  continued  his  companion,  "first  invented 
this  word;  for  those  whose  lives  cause  them  to  be 
called  Pietists,  call  themselves  by  a  different  name,  and 
desire  to  be  nothing  but  Christians." 

"  I  thank  you  for  this  explanation,"  said  George  :  "it 
has  again  quieted  my  apprehensions  in  regard  to  my 
sister, — for  I  will  not  hide  it  from  you,  that  as  Eliza- 
beth made  such  frequent  mention  of  this  Spener,  in 
her  letters  to  me,  and  as  he  is  commonly  regarded  as 
their  leader,  I  feared  that  she  also  belonged  to  the 
Pietists ;  that  is,  as  I  have  hitherto  been  led  to  believe, 


48  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

to  these  canting  hypocrites.  Since,  however,  such  is 
not  the  case,  I  shall  so  much  the  more  joyfully  press 
her  again  to  my  heart.  For  nothing  is  more  disgust- 
ing to  me,  than  that  kind  of  piety  which  consists  only 
in  words.  But  I  see  we  are  at  the  city  gate,  and  if  you 
will  allow,  I  will  leave  you  here,  in  order  to  reach  my 
father's  house  so  as  to  surprise  them." 

"As  you  like,"  said  George's  companion,  and  ordered 
the  coachman  to  halt.  Whilst  dismounting,  George 
repeated  his  thanks  and  shook  cordially  the  hand  that 
had  been  offered  to  him  in  token  of  separation.  But, 
just  as  he  was  about  leaving  the  carriage,  he  turned 
quickly  to  his  companion,  and  said:  "  Pardon  me,  dear 
sir,  your  acquaintance  has  been,  to  me,  a  source  of  such 
great  pleasure,  that  I  should  esteem  myself  happy,  if 
you  would  allow  me  to  cultivate  it  still  further.  May 
I  ask  you  who  you  are,  and  your  name  ?" 

The  gentleman  leaned  out  of  the  carriage,  and,  with 
a  smile  full  of  kindly  humor,  said:  "  I  hope  you  will 
not  be  frightened,  my  young  friend!  My  name  is 
Spener,  and  I  am  the  new  court-chaplain.  Remember 
me  kindly  to  your  sister,  and  the  Lord  be  with  you." 

George  blushed  again  and  again;  he  felt  himself 
rooted  to  the  spot,  meanwhile  the  carriage,  which  he 
irresolutely  followed  with  his  eyes,  having  long  since 
gone  out  of  sight.  Having  entered  the  gate,  the  youth 
exclaimed,  with  a  vexed  shake  of  the  head  :  "  I,  fool  that 
I  am,  might  have  suspected  it !  I  trust  I  have  not  said 
or  done  anything  silly!"  Then  he  turned  to  the  right, 
and  limped  upon  his  way  to  his  father's  house,  where 
awaited  him  a  very  strange  surprise. 


CHAPTER    III 


WOOING. 


"  Favour  is  deceitful,  and  beauty  is  vain ;  but  a  woman  that  feareth  the 
Lord,  she  shall  be  praised." — Prov.    xxxi :  30. 

MR.  NULLENBRECHER  had,  as  we  have  seen, 
left  the  inn,  at  Lockwitz,  in  a  great  rage.  To  have 
been  vanquished  by  a  school-master  he  regarded  as  the 
most  disgraceful  circumstance  that  had  ever  befallen 
him.  With  flushed  cheeks  and  rapid  strides,  he  hast- 
ened toward  the  city,  as  if  he  there  expected  to  find 
either  shelter  or  consolation.  At  the  Pirna  gate,  he 
was  met  by  a  young  man  who  greeted  him  with  a 
friendly  bow;  but  Nullenbrecher  rushed  past  him 
without  returning  it,  and  muttering  to  himself:  "He, 
too,  is  a  Spenerite,  and  a  thorough  one  at  that.  Like 
master,  like  servant.  Really,"  he  continued,  deris- 
ively, "this  is  just  to  the  point;  for  he  is  his  amanu- 
ensis." 

Arrived  at  Pirna  street,  he  turned  toward  a  large 
house  on  his  right,  opened  the  door  without  knocking, 
and  entered  the  room,  exclaiming:  "The  Scribes  and 
the  Pharisees  sit  in  Moses'  seat,  Matthew  the  xxiii. 
Ye  serpents,  ye  generation  of  vipers,  how  can  ye 
escape  the  damnation  of  hell?" 

"Halloo,  Mr.  Nullenbrecher,"  called  out  a  man,  who 
was  seated  in  a  corner  of  the  room  near  a  table,  with 
a  mug  of  wine  before  him,  "pardon  me,  but  to  whom 
do  you  allude?" 

3  (49) 


^O  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

"To  whom  do  I  allude?"  asked  NuUenbrecher. 
"To  these  new  Conscientiarians,  these  secret  adherents 
of  that  studiosus  Matthias  Knutzen,  who  want  to  settle 
everything  by  an  appeal  to  conscience,  and  yet  they 
are  only  children  in  intelligence  and  knowledge!  I 
allude  to  these  Labadists,  who  boast  of  their  being 
regenerated  daily.  Yea,  verily,  they  are  Labadists ! 
Has  not  this  very  Spener,  as  is  commonly  reported, 
made  the  acquaintance  of  this  arch-hypocrite,  Labadie, 
in  Geneva?  Has  he  not  even  translated  his  miserable 
book,  entitled  '  Devotional  Exercises',  into  German  ? 
But  what  am  I  saying?  Woe  unto  you.  Scribes  and 
Pharisees,  hypocrites!  for  ye  compass  sea  and  land, 
to  make  one  Pietist;  and  when  he  is  made,  ye  make 
him  two-fold  more  the  child  of  hell  than  yourselves, 
Matthew  the  xxiii.  15." 

"Have  you  again  come  in  contact  with  the  Piet- 
ists?" queried  the  other. 

"Can  one  avoid  it,  sir?"  replied  the  Master  of  Arts. 
"Wherever  you  go,  you  are  sure  to  meet  with  Pietists : 
in  private  houses,  in  the  open  field,  upon  the  highway, 
at  the  gates  of  the  city,  and  especially  in  taverns, 
which  they  enter  by  legions." 

"Well,  well,  never  mind,"  interposed  the  other,  con- 
solingly. "  My  principle  is,  Live  and  let  live  !  I  pur- 
sue my  course,  and  what  course  others  may  pursue 
does  not  concern  me.  Come  here  and  take  a  drink. 
You  see,  I  take  my  evening  wine  a  little  earlier  than 
is  usual  with  me ;  but  that  is  your  fault,  not  mine." 

"  How  so  ?"  inquired  the  Master  of  Arts,  at  the 
same  time  regarding  the  mug  with  a  look  which  was 
far  from  beinsf  disdainful. 


WOOING.  r  I 

"Only  take  a  drink,"  continued  the  other,  "and  then 
you  shall  know  it.  I  have  a  gospel  to  proclaim  to  you, 
as  you  are  wont  to  call  it." 

Nullenbrecher  took  up  the  mug  and  began,  at  first, 
slowly  and  deliberately  to  sip  the  golden  beverage  ; 
gave  a  nod  of  satisfaction ;  snapped  his  small,  black 
eyes,  good-humoredly ;  then  took  a  vigorous  draught, 
saying,  "  Your  evening  drink  stands,  to-day,  in  the 
comparative  degree ;  it  is  really  a  spiritual  beverage, 
poma  pneianaticon,  as  it  is  written  in  the  Epistle  to  the 
Corinthians." 

"  You  like  it,  then  ?"  asked  the  other,  smilingly. 
"  You  have  hit  it ;  it  is  intended  to  be  a  spiritual 
drink ;  for  it  was  on  your  account  that  I,  this  day, 
mounted  a  tier  higher  in  my  cellar.  Here,  read  this, 
and  see  what  it  contains."  Saying  which,  he  handed 
his  companion  a  small  hastily-folded  billet. 

"  From  my  high  and  noble  cousin !"  exclaimed 
Nullenbrecher,  in  some  surprise,  whilst  reading  the 
superscription.  "  From  the  favorite  of  His  Electoral 
Highness  ?  From  the  noble  Lord  of  Langendorf  ? 
How  came  you  by  this  letter  ?" 

"  He  was  here  in  person,"  replied  the  other,  with  an 
air  of  pride.  "Your  high  and  noble  cousin  did  me 
the  honor  to  enter,  in  person,  the  lowly  dwelling  of  a 
plain  and  humble  citizen.  He  inquired  for  you,"  he 
continued,  as  he  saw  that  the  Master  of  Arts  was  still 
looking  at  the  superscription.  "  He  said  that  he  had 
good  news  for  you,  in  reference  to  the  pastor  of  Altle- 
ben,  who  has  lately  departed  this  life  for  a  better. 
But  when  the  right  honorable  Herr  von  Langendorf, 
your  well-beloved  cousin,  did  not  find  you  here,  and 


52  PHIL  IFF  JACOB  SPENER. 

being  in  great  haste,  he  condescended  to  enter  my 
Elizabeth's  chamber,  for  the  purpose  of  writing  you 
this  letter.  And  now  please  to  read  aloud,  if  its  con- 
tents are  agreeable." 

The  Master  of  Arts  was  still  intently  gazing  with 
enraptured  eyes  on  the  superscription,  and  read  aloud: 
" '  To  the  high  and  noble-born,  the  high  and  learned 
Master  of  Arts,  Nullenbrecher,  well-approved  Candi- 
datus  of  sacred  theology,  present'  Do  your  hear 
this  ?"  he  added,  whilst  opening  the  letter :  "  such  is 
the  custom  among  the  high-born  and  noble.  Here 
you  may  know  the  court-cavalier  by  every  word." 

"Only  read  the  contents  !"  insisted  the  other,  at  the 
same  time  treating  himself  to  another  drink. 

The  Master  of  Arts  threw  himself  into  a  chair, 
coughed  a  few  times,  and  began  to  read  as  follows : 

"  High  and  noble  Master  of  Arts,  especially  highly 
esteemed  cousin :  not  finding  you  at  the  house  of  your 
intended  father-in-law,  and  being  this  evening  espec- 
ially engaged  to  His  Serene  Highness,  the  Elector,  I 
considered  it  best,  as  the  subject  concerning  which  I 
wished  to  speak  with  you  is  of  pressing  importance, 
to  write  you  a  few  lines,  and  that,  too,  in  the  chamber 
of  your  future  wife,  there  being  neither  ink  nor  pen 
to  be  found  in  any  other  part  of  the  house.  I  only 
intended  to  inform  you,  high  and  most  honored  cousin, 
that  the  minister  at  Altleben  has  departed  this  life,  and 
that,  in  consequence,  a  pastorate,  to  which  I  most 
heartily  wish  you  may  be  appointed,  has  become 
vacant.  It  yields  a  considerable  income,  whilst  its 
duties  will  occupy  but  a  small  portion  of  your  time. 
I  have  already  proposed  you  to  His  Serene  Highness, 


WOOING. 


53 


and  the  Elector  appears  very  favorably  disposed  to- 
wards you.  His  Serene  Highness  gave  me,  however, 
to  understand,  that  he  concerned  himself  but  little 
about  it,  and  left  such  matters,  generally,  to  the  dispo- 
sition of  the  Consistory.  I  would,  therefore,  advise 
you  to  pay  a  visit,  to-morrow,  to  Dr.  Spener,  who,  at 
present — though  we  trust  it  may  not  always  be  so — 
possesses  great  influence.  To-morrow  you  may  report 
progress  to  me  at  my  private  lodgings,  when  we  shall 
see  what  is  to  be  done  further.  Sabit  de  ma  part, 
your  intended, /(^rMv^,  line  belle  figure  ! 
"  Ever  ready  to  serve  you,  I  am, 
"  Your  cousin, 

"  Hans  von  Langendorf." 

"Success  to  you,  my  intended  son-in-law,"  exclaimed 
the  artisan,  as  soon  as  Nullenbrecher  had  finished,  and 
was  once  more  viewing  the  superscription  with  a  beam- 
ing countenance,  "This  is,  indeed,  glad  tidings,  and 
it  becomes  us  to  welcome  it  with  joy."  And  having 
said  this,  he  rose  from  his  chair,  took  a  long  staff  from 
a  corner  behind  the  stove,  and  with  it  gave  three  loud 
knocks  against  the  ceiling. 

"  What  are  you  doing,  friend  ?"  exclaimed  the 
Master  of  Arts,  whom  the  noise  had  frightened  out 
of  his  ecstasy. 

"  What,  do  you  not  yet  know  the  sound  of  my 
house-bell  ?"  said  the  artisan,  with  a  cheerful  smile. 
"  Its  sound,  I  confess,  is  rather  dull,  yet  you  will  soon 
.see  that  it  has  been  heeded." 

And  so  it  was;  for  rapid  steps  were  soon  heard 
upon  the  stairs,  then  in  the  hall,  and  the  door  opened, 
and   a  young  and   lovely  maiden,  plainly  and   neatly 


tA  PHILIPP  JACOB   SPENER. 

clad,  and  of  about  eighteen  summers,  entered  with  the 
question:  "What  would  you  have,  dear  father?"  But 
when  her  eyes  fell  upon  the  guest,  she  was  frightened, 
and  blushing  deeply,  cast  them  toward  the  floor,  and 
made  a  motion  to  retire. 

"  Stay,  Elizabeth,"  called  out  her  father  in  a  some- 
what authoritative  tone.  "Are  you  afraid  of  Mr.  Nul- 
lenbrecher?  If  you  only  but  knew  what  that  letter 
contains,  which  his  reverence  holds  in  his  hand !  But 
I  will  not  betray  a  friend's  secret.  Here,  my  child, 
take  this  mug  and  fill  it  out  of  the  cask  on  the  left, 
second  tier." 

Elizabeth  received  the  mug  with  reluctance.  She 
evidently  had  something  on  her  mind,  but  feared  to 
give  it  utterance.  "  Is  it,  mayhap,  too  much  trouble 
for  you  to  go  into  the  cellar  ?"  said  the  father,  angrily. 

"  I  have  not  declined  to  go,  dear  father,"  replied 
Elizabeth,  trembling,  and  with  downcast  eyes,  "  I  only 
thought — " 

"  Well,  what  did  you  think  ?"  harshly  interruped 
the  father. 

"Pardon  me,  dear  father,"  answered  the  maiden,  "I 
only  thought  you  would  not  send  me  to  the  cellar 
again  to-day;  for  this  is  the  anniversary  of  my  good 
and  sainted  mother's  death." 

"What  mean  you?"  passionately  exclaimed  the 
father.  "  Do  you  consider  it  a  sin  to  drink  a  glass  of 
wine  on  a  day  like  this  ?  My  maxim  is,  '  Let  the  dead 
rest;'  also  'Live  and  let  live.'  But  who  has  appointed 
you  spiritual  guardian  over  your  father?  Have  you 
no  more  filial  obedience  towards  me,  and  respect  for 
our  reverend  guest  here,  than  to  make  use  of  this  kind 
of  language  ?" 


WOOING. 


55 


Elizabeth  kept  back  the  tears  that  were  fast  filling 
her  eyes,  and,  taking  the  mug,  left  the  room  in  silence. 

"  Ay,  ay,  my  dear  sir,"  said  Nullenbrecher,  "  you 
feed  your  little  lamb  with  the  stave-bands,  makel 
choblim,  according  to  Zechariah,  the  eleventh.  If  I  am 
not  mistaken,  I  think  I  saw  her  weep." 

"  Women's  tears !"  ejaculated  the  father,  ill-humor- 
edly, and  pacing  rapidly  up  and  down  the  room.  "  My 
principle  is,  the  wife  must  learn  to  obey.  And  you, 
sir,  will  one  day  thank  me  for  having  been  strict. 
Obedient  daughters  make  obedient  wives ;  that's  my 
principle.  Am  I  to  suffer  myself  to  be  reprimanded 
by  my  own  child?  But  whose  fault  is  it?  Our  court- 
chaplain  is  at  the  bottom  of  it  all.  He  has  spoiled 
her.  But  she  shall  henceforth  no  longer  attend  his 
lectures." 

"  In  this  you  may  be  correct,"  said  the  Master  of 
Arts.  "These  lectures,  which  are,  alas,  becoming 
daily  more  popular,  both  among  high  and  low,  old 
and  young,  are  a  wicked  contrivance ;  and  Elizabeth's 
regular  attendance,  both  on  Wednesdays  and  Satur- 
days, has  long  been  a  matter  of  dislike  to  me,  and  I 
am  sorry  to  see  that  she  finds  pleasure  in  such  puer- 
ilities." 

"  And  why,  sir,  did  you  not  tell  me  this  sooner  ?" 
rejoined  the  father,  as  he  remained  standing  before  his 
reverend  guest.  "Up  to  this  moment  I  did  not  suspect 
that  these  juvenilities  would  be  fraught  with  such  evil 
consequences  to  my  daughter.  But  I  am  getting  tired 
of  this  talk  about  these  Pietists,  I  intend  to  have 
nothing  more  to  do  with  them ;  and  what  is  more, 
neither  shall  my  family." 


^5  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

Just  then  Elizabeth  entered,  placed  the  replenished 
mug  silently  and  with  downcast  eyes  upon  the  table, 
and  was  in  the  act  of  retiring,  when  the  Master  of  Arts 
detained  her  by  saying : 

"  Beautiful  and  honored  Miss,  you  have  doubtless 
brought  us  the  best  of  wine,  royal  wine  in  golden 
vessels,  as  it  is  written  in  the  book  of  Esther,  first 
chapter;  for,  as  you  entered,  I  saw  one  of  your  tears 
drop  into  the  mug.  You  have  done  what  is  said  in 
the  I02d  Psalm:  'I  have  mingled  my  drink  with 
weeping.'  There  can  possibly  be  no  better  aroma,  real 
gkiicos,  new  wine,  from  which  one  becomes  drunken, 
as  it  is  written  in  Acts  the  second." 

Nullenbrecher  smiled  in  self-satisfaction  at  his  suc- 
cess in  delivering  himself  of  this  speech,  a  circumstance 
which  did  not  often  happen  to  him.  The  artisan,  how- 
ever, seemed  to  take  no  delight  in  it,  and,  therefore, 
addressed  the  poor  girl  by  saying :  "  Elizabeth,  you 
know  me  to  be  a  kind-hearted  and  indulgent  man,  but 
everything  has  an  end ;  that's  my  principle.  From  this 
day  forward  I  forbid  you  to  attend  Spener's  meetings. 
You  have  outgrown  all  such  juvenilities.  Do  you 
hear?" 

The  maiden  cast  an  astonished  and  deprecating  look 
upon  her  father,  and  said:  "You  are  surely  not  in 
earnest,  dear  father?" 

"  Indeed,  I  am,"  he  rejoined  with  increased  vehem- 
ence. "  In  such  matters,  I  never  jest.  I  want  an 
industrious  and  obedient  daughter  in  my  house,  but  no 
praying  woman." 

"  Dear  father,"  said  Elizabeth,  attempting  to  take 
hold  of  his  hand ;  "  by  what  act  of  mine  have  I  merited 


WOOING. 


57 


such  a  reproof?  I  pray  you,  take  back  these  words, 
and — do  not  deprive  my  poor  heart  of  its  last  and  only 
source  of  comfort." 

"  What  is  that  you  say  ?"  the  father  exclaimed, 
angrily.  "Deprive  your  heart  of  its  last  and  only 
source  of  comfort?  Are  you  then  unhappy  in  your 
father's  house  ?  Am  I  a  tyrant  who  robs  you  of  your 
peace?  This  is  another  of  those  Spenerite  expressions 
which  is  calculated  to  disturb  family  peace !  Go  !  If 
you  have  really  learned  anything  in  your  meetings, 
practise  the  precept, '  To  obey,  is  better  than  sacrifice.' " 

"As  we  find  it  in  Samuel,  first  chapter  and  fifteenth 
verse,"  Nullenbrecher  quickly  interrupted:  "  Obedientia 
melior  est  sacrificio." 

"Silence,  I  pray  you,"  said  the  artisan,  in  a  half- 
polite  and  half-angry  manner  to  his  guest;  "and  do 
not  mar  my  pleasure  entirely  on  this  day!"  Then, 
turning  to  his  daughter,  he  added,  "  Go  back  to  your 
chamber  and  learn  the  fourth  commandment." 

'^  Parentcni  iitruniqiie  honorato,"  mumbled  the  Master 
of  Arts  to  himself,  whilst  Elizabeth,  weeping,  left  the 
room. 

"  Tell  me,  I  entreat  you,  sir,"  continued  the  father, 
"  what  sort  of  wedded  life  you  expect  to  lead,  if  you 
begin  to  blunder  at  the  very  outset.  The  wife  must 
learn  early  that  she  is  in  duty  bound  to  obey  her 
husband,  otherwise  there  can  be  no  happiness  on  earth ; 
that's  my  principle!  But  we'll  let  this  rest.  Come, 
now,  and  take  a  drink  with  me.  Your  name  is  Nullen- 
brecher, and  this  golden  friend  is  called  sorrow-extin- 
guisher. Here's  success  to  you,  and  abundance  of 
honor !" 
3* 


5 8  PHILIPP   JACOB   SPENER. 

"  All  this  might,  indeed,  easily  come  to  pass,"  sug- 
gested the  Master  of  Arts,  after  having  pledged  his 
friend  in  a  hearty  draught.  "  Here  you  may  learn 
what  an  advantage  it  is  to  have  distinguished,  and 
especially  noble-born  connections,  who  are  favorites  of 
his  Serene  Highness,  the  Elector." 

"  And  so,  to-morrow,  you  intend  paying  a  visit  to 
the  father  of  the  Pietists,  as  you  call  him  ?"  asked  Mr, 
Guldenmeyer,  as  he  took  another  hearty  draught  from 
the  sorrow-extinguisher. 

"  It  must  be  done,"  was  the  reply,  "  however  un- 
pleasant it  may  be.  Altleben,  you  know,  is  a  good 
situation,  a  fact  of  which  I  am  not  ignorant ;  and  our 
much-esteemed  Miss  Elizabeth  will,  doubtless,  be 
pleased  with  it.  I  should,  of  course,  have  been  much 
better  satisfied  if  my  high  and  noble-born  cousin,  Herr 
von  Langendorf,  had  himself  finished  this  business  with 
his  Serene  Higness,  the  Elector.     However — " 

"  Do  you  know  that  an  idea,"  interrupted  the  artisan, 
"has  just  now  occurred  to  me,  which  may  be  of  benefit 
to  you,  and  save  you  the  trouble  of  paying  a  visit  to 
the  court-chaplain  ?  I  can  boast  of  standing  in  high 
favor  with  our  superintendent,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Carpzov. 
I  have  but  lately  manufactured  a  gold  chain  for  his 
youngest  daughter,  with  which  he  was  greatly  de- 
lighted. I'll  go  and  request  him  to  prepare  the  way 
for  you  with  the  court-chaplain." 

"What  are  you  thinking  about?"  replied  the  Master 
of  Arts,  in  the  greatest  astonishment.  "  Carpzov  and 
Spener  !  What  an  incongruity !  Day  and  night 
would  much  sooner  mingle  than  these  men.  You 
may  also  believe  me  when  I  tell  you  that  Spener  has 


WOOING.  eg 

not  one  friend  among  all  the  clergymen  of  this  city, 
and  I  can  blame  none  of  them  for  it ;  least  of  all,  Dr. 
Carpzov.  After  the  decease  of  Dr.  Lucius,  no  one 
had  a  prior  and  more  valid  claim  to  the  occupancy  of 
the  first  ecclesiastical  station  in  the  Electorate  than  he, 
or  rather  his  father,  that  eminent  scholar  and  professor 
at  Leipzig.  But  Spener  must  be  brought  hither  from 
Frankfurt ;  the  Pietist  was  preferred  to  the  scholar,  or, 
in  other  words,  the  prophet  was  also,  with  us,  without 
honor  in  his  own  country,  a  fact  that  might  be  estab- 
lished by  evidences  which  I  might  adduce  from  my 
own  experience,  if  my  high  and  noble-born  cousin, 
who  has  the  honor  of  being  the  favorite  of  his  Serene 
Highness,  the  Elector,  should  not  succeed  in  procur- 
ing for  me  the  prophet's  chair,  I  mean  the  curacy  of 
Altleben.  And  now  it  just  occurs  to  me — do  you 
think,  my  dear  sir,  that  my  much-esteemed  and  well- 
approved  Miss  Elizabeth  would  be  willing  to  remove 
to  Altleben  ?" 

"  You  do  me  great  honor,  great  honor,"  exclaimed 
the  artisan,  who  was  beginning  to  feel  the  effects  of 
the  wine.  "  Drink,  noble  son,  to  a  happy  marriage 
with  my  daughter !  But  take  my  advice,  and  do  not 
indulge  her  too  much.  She  is  really  at  heart  a  good 
girl,  but  has,  like  all  other  women,  somewhat  of  a  pro- 
pensity for  complaining  and  shedding  tears,  and  seems 
determined  to  go  to  heaven  by  singing  and  praying. 
As  to  her  dowry — well,  you  shall  find  that  you  are  the 
son-in-law  of  the  goldsmith  Guldenmeyer.  But  how 
do  you  stand  with  my  daughter  ?" 

"  Very  well,  I  think,"  replied  the  other,  vainly 
endeavoring   to    keep    his    tongue    from    stammering. 


5o  PHILIP P  JACOB  SPENER. 

"  She  is  as  yet  only  a  little  shy  and  bashful,  like  a 
fond  little  turtle-dove  in  the  clefts  of  the  rock,  and  in 
the  secret  places  of  the  stairs,  as  it  is  written  in  the 
Song  of  Solomon  concerning  Christ's  bride;  for  she 
has,  whenever  I  made  any  tender  advances  towards 
her,  thus  far  refused  to  turn  her  soft  eyes  upon  me." 

"Ay,  ay,  my  dear  Mr.  Nullenbrecher,"  said  the  gold- 
smith laughing;  "I  see,  you  have  been  advancing  a  lit- 
tle too  modestly  and  without  showing  sufficient  tact. 
You  must  change  your  course,  and  that  soon  ;  yes, 
even  this  very  day,  especially  since  your  expectations 
are  so  near  being  realized.  If  you  have  no  objection, 
my  son,  we  will  celebrate  your  betrothal  this  very 
day." 

"  My  heart  trembles  with  joy,"  replied  the  Master 
of  Arts,  whilst  a  flash  of  light  shot  from  his  little  eyes, 
"I  feel  like  the  children  of  Israel  when  Moses  de- 
clared unto  them  the  words  of  the  covenant,  as  we  find 
them  in  Deuteronomy :  '  The  Lord  shall  give  thee 
there  a  trembling  heart,  and  failing  eyes  and  soi-row 
of  mind,'" 

"  Take  this,  then,  and  drown  the  sorrow  of  your 
mind,"  suggested  the  goldsmith,  handing  him  the 
mug.  And,  rising  from  his  seat,  he  took  hold  of  his 
wooden  bell  in  the  corner  with  an  unsteady  hand,  and 
with  it  gave  the  three  significant  thumps  against  the 
ceiling. 

"  Do  you  think  your  little  daughter  will  come 
down  ?"  asked  Nullenbrecher.  "  You  sent  her  away, 
awhile  ago,  rather  harshly." 

"  You  shall  see  directly,  my  right  reverend  son," 
replied    Guldenmeyer,  throwing  himself  again    some- 


WOOING.  6 1 

what  awkwardly  into  his  arm-chair.  "  My  child,"  he 
continued,  "  is  a  good  and  obedient  child.  To  obey  is 
better  than  sacrifice ;  that's  my  principle.  Only  you 
present  your  suit  in  a  neat  and  becoming  manner,  as 
you  always  do.    My  blessing  I  have  already  given  you." 

"As  Isaac  says  to  Esau,  in  Genesis,"  added  the  Mas- 
ter of  Arts,  and,  hearing  steps  on  the  stairs,  he  hastily 
adjusted  his  wig,  which  had  become  somewhat  de- 
ranged during  their  animated  discourse. 

Elizabeth  entered,  endeavoring,  in  vain,  to  conceal 
that  she  had  been  weeping,  by  keeping  her  blood-shot 
eyes  fixed  upon  the  floor.  "  You  have  called  me,  dear 
father,"  she  said,  remaining  standing  near  the  door. 

"  Come  nearer,  my  child,"  exclaimed  the  father, 
"  come  nearer  to  me.  You  know,  Elizabeth,  I  love 
you  with  all  my  heart ;  for  you  are  my  o)ily  child." 

"  Does  your  heart  not  think  of  my  brother,  also  ?" 
asked  Elizabeth. 

"Of  George?"  repeated  the  artisan,  his  wine-flushed 
countenance  suddenly  assuming  a  lowering  and  con- 
fused expression;  "of  your  brother  George?  When 
I  call  you  my  only  child,  I  mean,  of  course,  that 
George  is  abroad,  where  he  is,  doubtless,  better  con- 
tented than  he  would  be  with  us.  He  is,  perhaps, 
this  very  day,  making  merry  either  in  Rome  or  Naples, 
or  wherever  else  he  may  be  lounging  about,  the  frivolous 
fellow." 

"Are  you  angry  with  him  ?"  asked  the  daughter, 
who  seemed  determined  to  prevent  the  Master  of  Arts 
from  taking  part  in  the  conversation.  "  In  his  last 
letter,  which  was  written  at  Florence,  he  holds  out  the 
hope  of  a  speedy  return." 


52  PHILIPP  JACOB   SPENER. 

"You  are,  then,  keeping  up  a  frequent  correspond- 
ence," said  the  father,  with  a  sullen  look,  as  he  raised 
himself,  with  some  difficulty,  from  his  chair,  in  order 
to  pace  across  the  room. 

"  Not  more  frequent  than  you  yourself  know,"  re- 
plied Elizabeth. 

"  Well,  never  mind  this  now,"  rejoined  the  father. 
"  I  did  not  call  you  for  the  purpose  of  speaking  to  you 
about  your  brother  George,  but  because  our  noble  and 
right  reverend  guest,  Mr.  Nullenbrecher,  has  some- 
thing to  say  to  you.  And  now,"  turning  to  him,  he 
added,  "  you  must  speak  for  yourself,  and  allow  me  to 
resume  my  seat;  for  wine  possesses  the  singular  virtue 
of  making  the  heart  light  and  the  body  heavy." 

Elizabeth's  countenance  became,  suddenly,  flushed 
with  a  crimson  color,  and  a  slight  trembling  of  her 
hands  betrayed  the  deep  agitation  of  her  mind.  Nul- 
lenbrecher, however,  rose,  moved  his  left  foot  a  little 
backwards,  whilst  making  a  graceful  forward  inclina- 
tion with  his  head,  drew  his  right  foot  after  it,  and 
commenced  by  saying,  "  Honored  and  esteemed,  hon- 
ored and  most  virtuous  Miss  Elizabeth!  you  know  it 
is  written  in  Genesis  the  2d,  verse  i8 — '  It  is  not  good 
,  that  man  should  be  alone.'  Now  it  must  be  confessed 
(»2f — '  that  the  Hebrew  word  Adam  is  not  often  so  applied 
as  to  mean  simply  a  man,  though  koheleth  7,  Adam 
stand  undoubtedly  for  isch — that  is,  a  man,  and  Luther 
should  have  so  translated  it ;  it  is  evident  that  in  this 
passage,  namely,  in  Genesis  2,  v.  18,  Adam  stands  for 
isch,  especially  since  Eva  or  rather  Heva,  that  is  life, 
because  it  ought  to  be  pronounced  cJiava,  a  mistake 
which  Luther  copied  after  the    Vidgata,  which  got  it 


tf(- 


WOOING. 


63 


from  the  Septuaginta — thus,  then,  for  this  reason,  I 
say,  because  Eva — to  abide  by  the  customary  express- 
ion— was  at  that  time  not  even  created,  and,  conse- 
quently, in  using  the  word  Adam,  a  man  could  only 
have  been  meant.  Accordingly  the  entire  passage 
may  be  rendered  thus :  '  It  is  not  good  that  the  man 
be  alone' — a  rendering  which  conveys  a  meaning 
highly  honorable  to  women." 

Having  thus  delivered  himself,  the  Master  of  Arts 
paused,  and  cast  an  inquiring  look  upon  Elizabeth, 
doubtless  for  the  purpose  of  seeing  what  an  impression 
his  polite  and  learned  speech  had  made  upon  her. 
But  the  poor  girl  stood  before  her  learned  companion 
like  one  spell-bound.  At  first  the  violent  beating  of 
her  heart  had  forced  her  to  drop  her  eyes  to  the  floor ; 
but  as  she  listened  to  his  learned  harangue,  she  grad- 
ually regained  her  self-possession,  and  looking  inno- 
cently up  into  his  face,  said,  "  Right  reverend  sir,  you 
may  laugh  at  my  stupidity,  but  really  I  do  not  under- 
stand you." 

Just  as  Nullenbrecher,  with  a  degree  of  patience 
unusual  to  him,  was  about  commencing  a  repetition  of 
his  sermon,  there  was  heard,  in  the  direction  of  the 
corner  where  the  arm-chair  was  standing,  a  sharp, 
nasal  sound,  which  repeated  at  regular  intervals 
sounded  very  like  a  snore.  The  weary  head  of  the 
worthy  artisan  had  sunk  upon  his  breast,  whilst  his 
hands  lay  folded  across  his  well-fed  body. 

Mr.  Guldenmeyer  was  indulging  in  a  sound  sleep ; 
an  unfavorable  omen  for  the  expected  betrothal,  and, 
for  the  time  being,  painful  to  the  maiden,  who,  under 
the  circumstances,  now  considered  herself  as  good  as 


54  PHILIP P  JACOB   SPENER. 

alone  with  her  unwelcome  wooer.  Nevertheless,  this 
circumstance  only  tended  to  inspire  her  with  the 
necessary  courage.  She  knew  that  she  must  now  rely 
upon  herself,  "and,  though  her  words  and  actions  bore 
on  all  other  occasions  the  stamp  of  innocence  and  good 
humor,  she  was  also  naturally  of  a  somewhat  playful 
disposition,  and  knew,  when  occasion  required,  and 
without  bitterness,  how  to  make  good  use  of  it. 
Already  had  her  answer,  that  she  could  not  under- 
stand the  Master  of  Arts,  betrayed  her  humor,  in  so 
far  as  she  knew  perfectly  well  what  his  frequent  visits 
meant.  That,  however,  her  father  had  already  given 
away  her  hand  to  him,  she  knew  not,  because  he  had 
considered  it  best  to  do  so  by  virtue  of  his  parental 
authority,  without  her  knowledge  and  consent.  Whilst, 
therefore,  she  was  approaching  the  arm-chair,  as  if  to 
put  herself  under  its  protection,  her  discreet  suitor 
»  continued : 

r*'Ti    r    "Highly    respectable,    honored    and    most   virtuous 
'^  Miss!     If  the   rendering  of  that  passage  be   correct, 

and  if  every  one  is  at  liberty  to  apply  to  himself  the 

1  declaration  it  contains,  you  will  allow  me  to  make 
use  of  a  slight  privilege,  in  which  case  the  citation 
from  Genesis — I  mean  the  first  book  of  the  Pentateucli 
— will  read,  '  It  is  not  good  that  I  am  alone.'  " 
'  Cy-  f  "  Nor  are  you  alone,  sir,"  replied  she.  "  But  allow 
'  me  to  put  a  pillow  under  my  father's  back ;    his  head 

seems  very  uncomfortable.  My  dear  father  knows 
that  he  cannot  bear  much  wine,  and  yet  he  has  forgot- 
ten himself  to-day.  I  hope  it  will  not  injure  him,  sir?" 
"  Oh,  no,  minime  gentium"  assured  the  Master  of 
Arts.     "  This  is  a  very  natural  connexion  of  things, 


WOOING.  5e 

which  we  already  find  in  the  case  of  Lot,  Genesis  the 
19th.  But  to  return  again  to  Genesis  the  2d,  verse  18. 
I  think  I  told  you,  most  honored  and  virtuous  Miss 
Elizabeth,  that  I  was  fully  justified  in  applying  that 
passage  to  myself,  j  ust  as  if  it  read,  'Lo  tJiov  hejot  ani 
lebadi!     Now  if  this  rendering " 

"  But,  I  pray  you,  remember,"  interrupted  the  maiden, 
"you  are  such  a  very  learned  man,  that  you  can  have 
no  idea  how  utterly  impossible  it  is  for  a  simple  maiden 
like  myself  to  comprehend  your  learning." 

"  I  wish  to  show  you,"  continued  the  indefatigable 
suitor,  "that  I  have  established  upon  the  author;ty  of 
that  passage  from  the  Bible,  as  is  proper  that  a  Theo- 
logian should  do,  not  only  my  loneliness,  but  also  the 
distastefulness  of  it  to  me,  especially  with  reference 
to  my  future  residence  in  Altleben.     If,  therefore " 

But  our  poor  Master  of  Arts  was  not  permitted  to 
gain  his  end  this  time.  A  knock  being  heard  at  the 
door,  Elizabeth  started  with  affright,  and  sought  refuge 
behind  her  father's  chair.  "  Please  go  and  see  who 
knocked,"  she  begged  her  unfortunate  suitor.  But 
before  he  could  reach  the  door,  it  opened,  and  a  young 
man  entered. 

"  George,  my  brother  George !"  exclaimed  Elizabeth, 
and  flew  into  his  arms.  "Angel,  sent  to  me  by  God 
just  in  the  hour  of  need,"  she  continued,  and  tears 
coursed  down  her  cheeks. 

"  My  beloved,  my  dear  Elizabeth,"  said  George,  in 
broken  accents,  "  my  cherished  sister,  how  have  I 
longed  to  see  you  again.  Thanks  to  God  a  thousand 
times  that  I  meet  you  in  health.  But,"  he  added,  as 
his  eye  fell  suddenly  upon  the  sleeper,  who  had  not 


66  PHILIP P  JACOB  SPENER. 

been  in  the  least  disturbed.  "  What  is  this  ?  Is  our 
father  sick  ?" 

"  No,"  repHed  the  sister;  "compose  yourself;  father 
has  taken  his  afternoon  nap,  to-day,  a  little  later  than 
usual.     Is  it  not  so,  sir?" 

But  before  the  Master  of  Arts,  who  had  opened  his 
little  black  eyes  as  wide  as  possible,  when  he  had 
made  the  disagreeable  discovery  that  the  newly-ar- 
rived individual  was  an  old,  or  rather  a  new,  acquaint- 
ance, was  able  to  return  an  answer,  George  turned  to 
him  and  said: 

"Ay,  Mr.  Nullenbrecher,  do  we  meet  again  here  ?  I, 
of  course,  do  not  know,"  he  suddenly  added,  in  an 
altered  tone,  and  with  a  displeased  expression  of  coun- 
tenance, "  how  it  happens  that  you  are  here  alone  with 
my  sister !     Am  I  intruding  ?" 

"Brother!"  exclaimed  Elizabeth,  hiding  her  face  on 
his  breast ;  "  George,  why  this  bitter  drop  in  the  cup 
of  my  joy?" 

"  It  was  not  my  intention  to  give  you  pain,"  said 
George,  caressingly,  kissing  her  brow. 

"  You  shall  know  all,"  she  whispered  to  him,  taking 
him  by  the  hand  and  drawing  him  nearer  to  where  the 
father  was  seated,  who  now  exhibited  some  signs  of 
awakening.  But  he  only  changed  his  position  to  a 
more  easy  one,  and  continued  his  nap. 

The  Master  of  Arts  now  began  to  feel  that  any  fur- 
ther progress  towards  his  betrothal  was,  at  least  for  the 
present,  at  an  end.  The  entrance  of  George,  who  had 
witnessed  his  discomfiture  and  flight  from  the  Inn  at 
Lockwitz,  was  anything  but  agreeable  to  him.  He 
therefore  took  his  hat  and  cane  and  said,  "  Most  hon- 


WOOING. 


67 


ored  Miss,  at  another  time  I  may  find  an  opportunity 
to  resume  the  subject,  where  to-day  it  has  been  broken 
off.  Remember  me  kindly  to  Mr.  Guldenmeyer,  your 
much  beloved  father.  And  you,  too,  Mr,  George 
Guldenmeyer,  accept  my  most  respectful  compliments. 
My  departure  will  be  accounted  to  me  for  pain,  as 
may  be  read  in  the  Book  of  Wisdom."  And  with  a 
polite  bow,  he  left  the  room. 

What  happened  further  in  the  house  of  the  gold- 
smith will  be  related  hereafter..  At  present  we  must 
follow  our  somewhat  crest-fallen  Master  of  Arts, 
Nullenbrecher,  who  found  a  healing  balm  for  all  his 
wounds  in  thinking  of  his  cousin,  the  favorite  of  His 
Electoral  Highness,  the  noble  Herr  von  Langendorf. 


CHAPTER     IV. 

THE    INTERVIEW. 

"This  is  a  true  saying,  if  a  man  desire  the  office  of  a  bishop,  he 
desireth  a  good  work.     A  bishop  then  must  be  blameless."— i  Tim.  iii. 

1,    2. 

THERE  is  a  sort  of  courage  which  exhibits  itself 
towards  those  whom  we  regard  as  our  inferiors, 
that  is,  a  sort  of  intellectual  superciliousness,  but  which 
is  often  by  a  single  word  converted  into  pusillanimity. 
With  such  a  feeling  of  imagined  superiority  do  we 
find  our  Master  of  Arts,  Mr.  Nullenbrecher,  on  the 
afternoon  of  the  following  day,  standing  in  the  ante- 
chamber of  the  parsonage  near  George's  gate,  in 
Schlosse  Street,  opposite  the  royal  chapel  of  the  wid- 
owed Electress,  Anna  Sophia,  where  at  that  time  the 
court-chaplain  resided. 

With  Nullenbrecher's  external  self,  a  marked  change 
had  taken  place.  Instead  of  the  embroidered  necker- 
chief, upon  which  he  at  other  times  so  much  prided 
himself,  he  now  wore  one  exceedingly  plain,  and  per- 
fectly free  from  all  ornament ;  his  wig  was  so  short 
that  it  might  almost  have  been  called  shabby,  and  in 
place  of  his  gilded  shoe-buckles,  which  he  had  invari- 
ably worn  on  special  occasions,  his  shoes  boasted  only 
of  a  pair  of  very  unpretending  silver  ones.  Mr.  Roth- 
ner.  Dr.  Spener's  amanuensis  and  private  secretary, 
who  received  and  showed  Nullenbrecher  the  door  of 
the  room  in  which  Spener  was  accustomed  to  receive 

(68) 


THE  INTERVIEW. 


69 


his  visitors,  was  this  time  favored  with  an  exceedingly 
courteous  salutation. 

"  Will  you  not  first  announce  me  to  his  right- 
reverend  magnificence  ?  "  asked  Nullenbrecher. 

"  That'  is  not  necessary,"  replied  Rothner,  "  you 
have  just  arrived  at  the  hour  in  which  the  Doctor  has 
requested  that  all  who  wish  to  see  him  shall  be 
admitted." 

"  But,"  objected  Nullenbrecher,  courteously,  "  I  do 
not  know  whether  his  right  reverend  magnificence  has 
any  personal  knowledge  of  me;  had  you  not  bettei 
first  announce  my  name  ?  " 

"  That  is  also  not  necessary,"  was  the  reply.  "  You 
will  know  best  how  to  announce  yourself  Only 
knock."  And  bowing  politely,  Rothner  withdrew  to 
another  room. 

Our  distinguished  friend  being  thus  left  alone, 
became  somewhat  disconcerted,  and  felt  undecided 
what  to  do ;  though  out  of  doors  he  was  ever  ready 
to  sit  in  judgment  upon  the  court-chaplain,  now,  when 
he  was  about  to  meet  one  of  the  most  decried,  but 
nevertheless  also  one  of  the  best  and  most  sincerely 
esteemed  among  his  contemporaries,  his  courage  for- 
sook him.  He  first  took  a  survey,  as  far  as  possible, 
of  his  corporeal  self,  adjusted  once  more  his  wig  and 
neckerchief,  and  then  gave  a  scarcely  audible  knock  at 
the  door.  Notwithstanding,  a  voice  from  within  called 
out,  "Come  in!"  Nullenbrecher  hesitated,  when  the 
door  opened,  and  the  noble  and  truly  venerable 
Spener,  dressed  in  a  plain  morning  gown,  his  head 
covered  with  a  black  skull-cap,  from  beneath  which 
protruded  his  beautiful  hair  in  natural  curls,  made  his 


jQ  PHIL  IP  P  JACOB  SPENER. 

appearance,  and  with  a  countenance  radiant  with  kind- 
ness and  unaffected  affabihty  said,  "  Come  in,  dear 
sir." 

Now  although  Mr.  Nullenbrecher  had  carefully- 
studied  the  speech  he  had  intended  to  make,  his 
tongue,  nevertheless,  refused  him  utterance,  and  he 
remained  silent  and  embarrassed. 

"Take  a  seat,"  continued  Spener,  pointing  to  a 
chair.     "And  what  is  it  that  has  brought  you  to  me  ?" 

"  Right  reverend  Magnificence,"  now  stammered 
the  Master  of  Arts.     "  Since  your — " 

"  Pardon  me,"  here  Spener  interrupted  him  in  a 
tone  of  mild  earnestness,  "  that  I  so  soon  find  fault 
with  you.  I  cannot  permit  you  to  address  me  by 
such  titles,  which  in  reality  should  not  be  applied  to 
any  man,  and  least  of  all  to  me.  If  you  choose  to 
give  me  a  title,  you  may  in  that  case  address  me  as 
the  Elector's  court  chaplain,  or  if  you  prefer  it,  as 
Doctor  of  Divinity;  at  least  I  endeavor  to  the  best  of 
my  ability,  to  become  one  step  by  step.  What  station 
do  you  occupy  ?     You  seem  to  be  a  clergyman." 

"  I  am  indeed  a  Candidatus  Ministcrii  and  Master  of 
the  liberal  Arts,"  replied  Nullenbrecher,  at  the  same 
time  rising  from  his  chair,  "  but  the  time  having 
arrived,  that  I  should  assume  the  responsibilities  and 
dignity  of  the  sacred  office,  and  since  my  high  and 
noble-born  cousin,  Herr  von  Langendorf,  the  favorite 
of  his  Electoral  Highness,  has  informed  me,  per  letter, 
that  the  pastor  of  Altleben  is  deceased,  I  have  come 


"To  apply  for  that  post?"    Spener  again  broke  in, 
at  this  time  with  more  interest  than  before. 


THE  INTERVIEW. 


71 


"  Certainly  !"  replied  Nullenbrecher,  bowing  as  po- 
litely as  it  was  possible  for  him  to  do.  Spener  shook 
his  head  with  a  painful  smile  and  paced  silently  up  and 
down  the  room.  Then  pausing  before  the  petitioner, 
he  said,  "Keep  your  seat,  sir!  keep  your  seat.  Let 
not  my  standing  offend  you.  I  do  it  on  account  of 
my  health.  Constant  sitting  at  my  writing  desk  com- 
presses my  chest,  and  a  little  exercise  is  therefore 
occasionally  necessary.  Be  seated,  then;  we  will  con- 
tinue our  conversation  in  reference  to  your  request  a 
little  longer." 

Whilst  Nullenbrecher  was  thus  obliged  to  resume 
his  seat,  Spener  commenced  his  walk  up  and  down 
the  room,  and  continued  it  with  few  exceptions  during 
their  entire  colloquy.  "Are  your  parents  still  living?" 
he  said. 

"  My  father  has*  been  dead  for  many  years,"  replied 
the  Master  of  Arts,  "  but  my  mother,  who  is  a  de- 
scendant of  the  noble  house  of  Langendorf,  in  conse- 
quence of  which  the  favorite  of  his  Electoral  Highness 
is  my  high  and  noble-born  and  much-esteemed  cousin; 
yes,  my  mother,  a  pious,  godly  woman,  still  lives." 

"  You  may  esteem  yourself  happy,"  said  Spener, 
"  at  being  able  to  award  this  tribute  of  praise  to  your 
mother,  and  you  call  to  mind  the  image  of  my  own 
good,  sainted  mother.  I  look  upon  a  pious  mother  as 
the  child's  visible  angel ;  her  eye  keeps  the  most  faith- 
ful vigils  of  any  on  earth  over  the  child's  cradle,  and 
indeed,  over  its  whole  future  life.  She  possesses  the 
power  of  sowing  deepest  the  seed  of  the  Word  of  God. 
A  boy,  that  has  been  reared  without  the  attention  and 
guidance  of  a  pious  mother,  can  only  with  difficulty 


7  2  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

acquire  in  after  life  that  true  spirit  of  piety  which 
is  the  Christian's  most  precious  ornament.  A  boy, 
whom  his  parents  design  setting  apart  for  the  ministry, 
should  be  separated  from  the  vain  things  of  this  world, 
while  yet  in  his  cradle,  so  that  the  chief  end  and  aim 
of  his  life,  his  future  calling,  may  ever  be  present  to 
his  mind.  How  long  is  it  since  you  determined  to 
devote  yourself  to  the  Gospel  ministry  ?" 

NuUenbrecher,  in  order  to  appear  to  better  advan- 
tage, felt  himself  obliged  to  resort  to  a  falsehood ;  for 
the  truth  was,  that  he  had  only  fully  determined  upon 
assuming  the  gown  after  he  had  entered  the  Univer- 
sity, having  first,  guided  by  various  selfish  and  ambi- 
tious considerations,  manifested  a  preference  for  juris- 
prudence ;  and  when  he  finally  determined  in  favor  of 
theology,  it  was  done  only  because  he  hoped  that  his 
semi-nobility,  together  with  the  influence  of  his  high 
and  noble-born  cousin,  the  favorite  of  his  Electoral 
Highness,  would  advance  him  so  much  more  speedily  to 
honor  and  dignity.  "  It  was  a  long  time  ago,"  was  his 
answer,  "  inasmuch  as  my  pious  mother  has  reared  me 
with  a  view  to  the  ministry." 

"God  bless  your  mother!"  said  Spener,  who,  in 
his  exceeding  good  nature  and  honesty,  never  once 
thought  of  the  possibility  of  being  deceived,  and  who, 
besides,  possessed  so  little  knowledge  of  the  world, 
that  he  understood  correctly  but  seldom,  or  perhaps 
never,  even  strongly-marked  characters.  "  A  minis- 
ter," he  continued,  "cannot,  I  repeat  it,  begin  too  early 
to  inure  himself  to  the  leading  of  a  pure,  moral  life. 
Our  calling  directs  us  to  a  more  constant  employment 
with  heavenly  and  eternal  things — to  a  more  thorough 


THE  INTERVIEW.  73 

contemplation  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  to  a  greater 
frequency  in  prayer,  than  does  that  of  any  among  those 
of  our  brethren  who  are  committed  to  our  care,  so  that 
we  stand  only  too  much  in  need  of  the  divine  protec- 
tion and  consolation.  For  the  minister  is  to  become 
an  example  to  his  congregation,  and  must  therefore 
avoid  everything  that  might  prove  a  stumbling-block 
to  them.  If  he  find  this  denying  of  self  continue  diffi- 
cult, then  he  is  not  fit  to  be  a  minister,  just  because  he 
cannot  be  an  example  to  others.  Or  if  he  does  deny 
himself,  but  complains  on  account  of  it,  or  claims  for 
himself  any  special  merit,  because  he,  for  Christ's  sake, 
does  not  love  the  world  and  its  lusts,  he  had  better  not 
•^eek  the  ministerial  office  at  all,  or  relinquish  it,  if  he 
has  already  entered  the  ministry,  and  learn  first  to 
love  Christ  before  he  attempts  to  preach  love  to  Christ. 
For  every  servant  of  the  Word  of  God  must  submit  to 
the  rule  which  Paul  has  laid  down  in  the  words.  'AH 
things  are  lawful  unto  me,  but  all  things  are  not  expe- 
dient: all  things  are  lawful  for  me,  but  I  will  not  be 
brought  under  the  power  of  any.'  How  do  you  ex- 
plain this  passage,  sir?" 

This  question  took  Nullenbrecher  by  surprise.  The 
practical  exposition  of  a  passage  of  Scripture  did  not 
seem  to  be  his  forte.  But  he  soon  collected  himself, 
and  proud  with  the  pleasure  that  he  could  let  his  light 
shine,  replied,  ^"Panta  inoi  exestin,  aW  ou  panta  syviph- 
erei'  i  Cor.  vi.  Sympherein  properly  means  to  carry 
together;  also  to  carry,  comportare,  smnil portare,  as  it 
is  also  used  in  Acta  Actorum — Actoriini." 

"  You  mean,"  said  Spener,  smiling,  prompting  him, 
"  that  passage  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  where  it  is 
4 


j^  PIIILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

related  that  many  of  them  that  had  used  curious 
arts — " 

"  Ta  pcricrga  praxantcs"  interrupted  Nullenbrecher. 

Spener,  who  had  here  expected  no  interruption, 
manifested  surprise,  discontinued  his  walk,  and  gazed 
silently  and  earnestly  at  the  Master,  so  that,  for  a  few 
minutes,  deep  silence  reigned.  Then  he  resumed  his 
walk,  and  said  quietly,  yet  with  dignity :  "Master 
Nullenbrecher,  believe  me,  it  is  not  my  intention  to 
subject  you  to  a  learned  examination ;  but  I  only 
wished  to  assure  myself  of  the  manner  in  which  you, 
who  design  to  take  charge  of  a  congregation,  would 
explain  the  Scriptures  to  the  peeple.  Therefore,  allow 
me  to  repeat  my  former  question.  How  do  you  under- 
stand that  passage  from  Paul  which  you  correctly 
quoted  as  being  found  in  the  sixth  chapter  of  the  first 
Epistle  to  the  Corinthians  ?" 

Nullenbrecher,  with  downcast  eyes,  hesitated  for 
some  time  with  his  answer.  Then  he  said,  rather 
despondingly :  "  Exo2isiazesthal  means,  in  potcstatcni 
rcdigi,  to  be  brought  under  subjection,  /.  c,  we  are 
not  to  permit  ourselves  to  be  subjugated  by  anything." 

Spener  shook  his  head,  remained  again  standing 
before  the  Master,  and  said,  with  an  almost  melancholy 
smile :  "  My  dear  sir,  you  prove  by  your  explanation 
just  the  reverse,  inasmuch  as  you  permit  yourself  to 
be  so  completely  subjugated  by  your  learning  that 
you  are  unable  to  enter  into  the  true  spirit  itself  All 
knowledge,  sir,  all  learning,  is  dead  and  useless,  as 
long  as  it  does  not  impart  true  life  to  the  heart,  or 
promote  the  cause  of  practical  Christianity.  The  min- 
ister is  called  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  poor.     On 


THE  INTERVIEW.  -75 

the  rostrum  science  may  pursue  its  course,  for  there 
knowledge  is  in  its  proper  place ;  but  the  Church 
stands  in  need  of  a  holy  and  active  faith.  If  you  will 
not  take  it  amiss,  I  will  endeavor  to  explain  to  you 
what  I  understand  by  the  practical  exposition  of  this 
passage." 

And  after  having  again  resumed  his  walk  up  and 
down  the  room,  he  said:  "  That  which  thousands  may 
do,  without  any  one  thinking  it  amiss  of  them,  the 
minister  might  do  also,  but  had  better  not  do.  Thus, 
for  instance,  if  any  one  else  should  go  once  a  week,  or 
even  once  a  day,  to  an  inn,  and  drink  his  glass  of  beer 
or  wine,  no  one  would  take  offence  at  it,  provided  his 
circumstances  permit  it  and  he  conduct  himself  withal 
in  a  proper  and  becoming  manner.*  yVhy  could  the 
minister  of  the  gospel  not  do  likewise  ?  For,  granting 
that  the  thing,  in  itself  considered,  is,  in  reality,  not 
sinful,  or  for  argument,  even  allowing  that  health 
requires  a  stimulant  after  the  performance  of  arduous 
toil ; — yet  what  would  the  members  of  a  congregation 
say  of  the  minister  who  should,  in  company  with  them, 
visit  places  of  worldly  pleasure  ?  The  place  does  not 
do  it,  my  dear  sir ;  neither  does  beer  or  wine,  nor  the 
coat  he  wears,  but  the  office  he  holds.  And  though 
the  minister  should  sit  ever  so  well  behaved  and  be- 
comingly before  his  glass — and  though  he  should  only 
take    half    as    much    as    every    other   temperate    man 

*  The  reader  will  bear  in  mind  that  the  scene  of  our  story  is  laid  in 
the  seventeenth  century,  and  that  the  German  places  of  public  enter- 
tainment are  vastly  different  from  the  drinking  establishments  of  our 
own  country.  In  the  former  there  are  no  bar-rooms  such  as  we  find 
here,  where  liquors  are  displayed  before  the  guest,  but  only  guest-rooms, 
where  men  assemble  and  call  for  whatever  refreshment  they  wish. 


^5  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

enjoys;  yea,  though  he  should,  whilst  thus  indulging, 
even  engage  in  an  instructive  and  edifying  conversation, 
he  would  still  become  a  stone  of  stumbling  to  his 
people.  For  would  not  then  the  presence  of  the  min- 
ister in  the  drinking-room  be  an  invitation  to  his  entire 
congregation  to  imitate  his  example  ?  And  must  not 
these  be  offended  that  the  same  hand  which,  at  the 
altar,  blesses  the  bread  and  wine,  offers  in  the  bar- 
room, the  glass  in  a  welcome  draught  to  others  ? 
Wine  is  a  mocker,  says  Solomon,  and  may  cause  even 
the  best  of  men  to  say,  if  not  positively  wicked,  at 
least  foolish  things.  But  a  foolish  word  spoken  in  a 
drinking-room  does  not  remain  there,  but  goes  from 
house  to  house,  and  gains,  by  the  fact  of  its  having 
been  uttered  in  the  presence  of  the  minister,  the  seal  of 
special  importance.  And  how  is  the  minister  to  act  on 
such  occasions  ?  Is  he  to  smile  at  them  ?  Certainly 
not;  for  even  the  appearance  of  taking  pleasure  therein 
throws,  in  the  eyes  of  the  people,  a  shadow  upon  his 
earnest  preaching  of  the  Cross  in  the  sanctuary.  Or 
is  he  to  reprove  them  ?  Still  less ;  for  a  foolish  word 
will,  if  assailed,  call  forth  seven  other  foolish  words — 
and  it  shall  be  worse  than  it  was  at  first.  Or  is  he  to 
remain  indifferent,  as  if  he  had  not  heard  them  ?  Who 
will  believe  that  he  who  has  ears  does  not  hear?  To 
sum  up,  all  things  are  indeed  lawful  unto  the  minister, 
but  all  things  are  not  expedient.  Therefore  the  min- 
ister acts  much  more  wisely  and  advantageously  if  he 
goes  into  the  Lord's  Inn ; — I  mean,  out  into  the  woods 
and  fields,  up  upon  the  mountains,  and  down  into  the 
valley.  There  heaven  and  earth  are  uttering  only  good 
words,  to  which  one  dare  listen.  Do  you  agree  with 
me,  Sir  Master  ?" 


THE  INTERVIEW. 


77 


The  disconcerted  Nullcnbrecher  looked  as  if  sitting 
on  burning  coals.  To  him  it  seemed  as  though  Spener 
had  looked  into  his  very  heart,  and  there  read  that  it 
was  just  in  this  very  particular  that  he  did  not 
put  such  a  rigid  construction  on  that  passage.  He 
did,  indeed,  console  himself  with  the  thought  that  he 
was  personally  unknown  to  the  Doctor;  yea,  that  he 
had  so  far  not  even  asked  him  his  name ;  but  he  felt, 
from  his  accusing  conscience,  that,  in  order  to  accomp- 
lish the  object  for  which  he  had  come,  it  would  be 
best  again  to  resort  to  a  white  lie.  "  Well  and  highly 
honored  Doctor,"  he  said,  rising  from  his  seat,  "  your 
words  have  deeply  affected  me,  and,  at  the  same  time, 
afforded  me  solace  in  view  of  the  numerous  attacks  by 
my  colleagues,  who  have  frequently  found  fault  with 
me  on  account  of  my  retired  mode  of  life." 

"  Let  not  that  trouble  you,"  continued  Spener, 
soothingly,  asking  him  again  to  be  seated.  "It  is 
true,  the  words  of  a  tale-bearer,  says  Solomon,  are  as 
wounds,  and  they  go  down  into  the  innermost  parts  of 
the  belly ;  but  I,  for  my  part,  hold  to  the  words  of 
Paul,  where  he  says :  '  Who  art  thou  that  judgest 
another  man's  servant  ?  to  his  own  master  he  standeth 
or  falleth.'  Think  you,  Master,  that  I  am  suffered  to 
remain  unmolested  ?  If  I  would  have  regulated  my 
life  and  actions  according  to  the  opinions  of  the  world, 
I  should  have  been  obliged  to  have  renounced  just 
that  in  which  I  regard  myself  to  be  most  engaged  in 
the  service  of  Christ  and  my  brethren,  and  which  has 
hitlicrto  crowned  my  labors  with  the  happiest  results. 
I  mean  the  catechetical  examina,  of  which  evil -dis- 
posed  men   say,   that  they  indeed   became  a  school- 


7 8  PHILIPP  JACOB    SPENER. 

master,  but  not  me,  the  court-chaplain.  Will  you, 
when  once  in  charge  of  a  congregation,  entertain  a 
like  opinion  ?" 

Nullenbrecher  cast  down  his  eyes.  He  scarcely 
entertained  a  doubt  of  Spener  intending  these  remarks 
for  his  special  benefit.  If,  he  thought  to  himself,  it 
were  really  known  to  the  court-chaplain  that  he  was 
one  of  his  bitterest  defamers,  his  prospects,  in  regard 
to  the  rich  pastorate  at  Altleben,  were  at  an  end. 
And  yet  there  was,  withal,  so  much  kindness  and 
unaffected  tenderness  in  the  Doctor's  tone,  that  he 
again  took  courage  and  replied:  "Well  and  highly 
esteemed  Doctor,  you  have  accomplished  so  much 
good  by  your  catechetical  examina,  that  your  name 
is  mentioned  throughout  the  entire  holy  Roman 
empire  with  reverence  and  respect." 

"  This  is  not  what  I  wished  to  know,"  rejoined 
Spener.  "I  simply  desired  an  assurance  on  your 
part,  to  the  effect,  that  when  once  engaged  as  pastor, 
you  will  not  look  upon  catechetical  examina,  as  being 
an  employment  only  fit  for  a  schoolmaster." 

"  Certainly  not !"  answered  the  Master.  "  Certainly 
not.  It  happened  only  yesterday  that  I  had  occasion 
to  vigorously  repel  such  attacks  directed  against  your 
most  blessed  work.  It  is  painful  to  reflect  that  the 
good  ever  meets  with  more  opposition  than  the  evil," 

"And  why  ?"  asked  Spener.  "  The  good  meets  but 
seldom  with  opposition,  on  the  ground  of  its  not  being 
recognized  as  such;  but  most  of  the  obstacles  that 
impede  its  progress,  are  thrown  into  its  way  by  those 
who,  instigated  by  pride,  or  offended  vanity,  or  love  of 
ease,  or  the  fear  of  sustaining  temporal  loss,  decline  to 


THE  INTERVIEW.  yg 

co-operate  in  its  promotion ;  and  then,  in  order  to  con- 
ceal from  the  world  the  true  reason  of  their  opposition, 
these  calumniators  betake  themselves  to  all  sorts  of 
objections,  which  they  raise  ostensibly  against  the 
cause  to  be  promoted,  but  really  against  the  individual 
who  endeavors  to  promote  it.  This  evidences  a  great 
perverseness  of  human  nature,  which  can  only  be  suc- 
cessfully opposed  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  who  works  in 
us  both  to  will  and  to  do.  If  ministers,  in  all  this,  do 
not  always  succeed  in  setting  a  good  example,  the 
blame,  though  much  they  may  attempt  to  throw  it  on 
the  world,  will  yet  most  attach  to  themselves,  because 
they  either  do  not  select  or  refuse  to  employ  the 
proper  means  for  that  purpose,  and  especially  also 
because  they  are,  in  their  whole  life  and  conduct,  so 
completely  entangled  in  the  ordinary  concerns  of  the 
world,  that  they  cannot  assail  it,  without,  at  the  same 
time,  assailing  themselves.  This  applies  more  espec- 
ially to  the  cultivation  of  too  close  an  intimacy  with 
the  rich,  who  are  addicted  to  worldly  pleasure,  to  the 
participation  in  their  social  banquets  and  luxurious 
pleasures  of  every  kind,  such  as  extravagance  in  dress, 
as  well  as  in  the  expensive  arrangement  of  their  do- 
mestic establishments  generally.  Now,  it  will  also  be 
your  vocation,  my  dear  sir,  some  day,  to  set  in  all  this 
a  good  example  to  your  congregation.  Have  you 
well  considered  this  subject,  and  are  you,  in  regard  to 
it,  of  my  opinion  ?" 

"Entirely  so,  most  honored  Doctor,"  replied  Nul- 
lenbrecher,  whilst  putting  his  hand  to  his  plain,  unem- 
broidered  neckerchief 

Spener   now  took    a   few  turns   up  and   down   the 


3o  PHILIP P  JACOB  SPENER. 

room,  and  then  halting  suddenly  before  the  candidate, 
asked ;  "  Do  you  feel  within  yourself  any  inclination  to 
covetousness?" 

Nullenbrecher  again  cast  down  his  eyes,  as  if  he 
had  become  aware  of  how  severely  his  conscience 
condemned  him,  but  extricated  himself  by  means  of 
his  learning,  and  replied :  "  Beware  of  covetousness, 
phylassestJie  apo  tds  pleonexias,  as  we  find  in  Luke  the 
1 2th." 

"  Very  true,"  said  Spener,  "  for  a  man's  life  consist- 
eth  not  in  the  abundance  of  the  things  which  he  pos- 
sesseth.  Believe  me,  dear  Master,  no  one  has  greater 
cause  for  bewaring  of  covetousness,  and  of  every  and  all 
appearance  of  greediness,  than  the  minister  of  the  gos- 
pel. I  am  certain  that  the  world  would  sooner  pardon 
in  a  clergyman  any  other  fault  than  that  of  covetous- 
ness. For  money  is  such  a  sensuous,  and,  in  itself 
considered,  such  a  very  insignificant  thing,  that  the  in- 
ordinate desire  for  its  possession  is  most  disgraceful  to 
him  whose  duty  it  is  to  preach  about  those  treasures 
which  moth  and  rust  do  not  corrupt.  True,  the  minis- 
ter, in  common  with  the  rest  of  the  world,  cannot 
live  without  money,  but  he  should  endeavor  to  be  con- 
tent with- a  penny  where  another  one  spends  a  shilling. 
The  minister  should  look,  first  of  all  to  God,  then  to 
his  church,  and  if  after  that  anything  remains,  he  may 
also  think  of  his  family  and  of  himself  For,  dear  sir, 
the  minister  is  never  to  be  concerned  about  leaving  his 
heirs  earthly  treasures,  but  only  to  be  useful  to  the 
souls  confided  to  him ;  and  he  should  write  upon  the 
very  door-posts  of  his  heart  the  prayer,  that  the  mere 
suspicion  of  covetousness  may  not  rob  him  of  the  con- 


THE  INTERVIEW.  3 1 

fidence  of  his  flock.  Do  you  know,  sir,  what  I  have 
ever  most  deeply  regretted  in  a  minister?  It  is,  when 
he  involves  himself  in  litigations  and  lawsuits  for  the 
sake  of  worldly  possessions.  I  hold,  that  rather  than 
do  this,  an  honest  clergymen  would  yield  a  part,  or,  if 
need  be,  the  whole  of  his  claim.  God  will  not  permit 
His  faithful  servant  to  suffer  want,  but  help  him  bear 
the  burden  He  lays  upon  Him.  The  Kingdom  of 
Christ,  in  which  we  have  been  called  to  serve,  is  not  of 
this  world;  it  can,  therefore,  also  not  be  becoming  in 
the  minister  to  contend  about  temporal  things;  for  he 
has  an  abundance,  if  supplied  with  what  he  needs,  and 
this  need  be  very  little,  if  we  choose.  Our  standing 
never  depends  upon  that  which  the  world  regards  as 
necessary,  but  upon  the  one  thing  needful  to  us  as 
ministers,  as  pastors,  and  as  examples  to  the  church, 
namely,  upon  the  preservation  of  the  dignity  of  our 
sacred  office,  and  the  power  of  the  Word  of  God  which 
we  preach." 

As  the  court-chaplain  said  this,  his  countenance  was 
lighted  up  by  a  holy  fervor,  and  from  his  eyes  beamed 
the  light  of  a  soul,  happy  in  God,  so  that  even  though 
the  poignancy,  which  his  words  here  and  there  pos- 
sessed, might,  indeed,  inflict  a  wound,  yet  they  could 
not  excite  any  feelings  of  animosity  and  bitterness. 
The  tone  of  his  voice  was  as  mild  as  his  soul  was 
calm,  and  every  expression  and  gesture  bore  evidence 
of  the  most  inoffensive  frankness.  Such,  however, 
seemed  not  to  be  the  case  with  the  Master:  a  transient 
shade  of  anger  flitted  over  his  countenance ;  and  then, 
as  if  sensible  of  the  danger  in  regard  to  his  future 
prospects,  his  features  assumed  again  the  most  humble 
4* 


82  PHILIPr  JACOB  SPENER. 

smile.  Spener  himself  may  have  been  apprehensive 
of  perhaps  having  wounded  the  feelings  of  his  visitor, 
and  therefore  turned  again  to  him  with  the  remark: 
"  Dear  Master,  1  do  not  know  your  opinion;  yet  what- 
ever it  may  be,  I  hope  you  will  receive,  kindly,  my 
well-meant  and  friendly  remarks.  You  called  me, 
awhile  ago,  'Right  reverend  magnificence;'  I  repeat 
to  you,  I,  least  of  all,  am  worthy  of  such  vain,  honor- 
ary titles.  You  may  believe  me,  that,  in  examining 
myself,  I  am  often  frightened,  when  I  compare  that 
which  I  ought  to  be,  with  that  which  I  am." 

Sfener's  eyes  gave  evidence  of  deep  sorrow;  he 
had  laid  his  folded  hands  upon  his  breast,  and  a  slight 
motion  of  his  lips  appeared  to  indicate  that  he  was 
engaged  in  silent  prayer  to  God.  For  a  few  minutes 
deep  silence  reigned  throughout  the  room,  which  Nul- 
lenbrecher  had  not  the  courage  to  break,  although  he 
burned  for  an  opportunity  to  present  his  request  to  the 
Doctor,  in  the  speech  which  he  had  prepared  before 
his  coming.  However,  the  opportunity  again  passed 
by,  for  Spener  resumed:  "  You  have  prepared  your- 
self for  the  pastoral  office;  do  not  forget,  dear  sir,  that 
you  cannot  prepare  yourself  too  well  for  the  worthy 
discharge  of  its  sacred  duties.  I  would  particularly 
recommend  to  you  an  attentive  perusal  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  with  a  devout  mind,  uninfluenced  by  the 
wisdom  of  this  world,  and,  with  fervent  and  constant 
prayer,  which  does  not  only  wonderfully  comfort,  but 
also  supplies  our  souls  with  an  abundance  of  holy 
energy,  and,  in  every  temptation  with  persevering 
courage." 

As   Spener   here   ceased,   and   resumed   his  chair, 


THE  INTERVIEW 


83 


Nullenbrecher  regarded  it  as  a  sign  for  him  to  retire. 
He  rose  with  a  somewhat  hesitating  manner  (for  there 
had,  as  yet,  nothing  been  said  about  the  pastorate  at 
Altleben),  and  cast  a  half-inquiring  and  half-timid  look 
toward  the  court-chaplain,  who  rising  again  from  his 
chair,  went  to  the  Master,  offered  him  his  hand,  and 
said:  "Pardon  me,  dear  sir,  if  I  have  wounded  you  in 
anything  I  have  said ;  it  surely  was  unintentional. 
Prove  it  to  me,  by  occasionally  paying  me  a  visit.  At 
this  hour,  you  shall  daily  be  welcome."  ^ 

Nullenbrecher  had  risen  and  bowed  most  humbly 
to  the  court-chaplain.  Should  he  leave,  without  hav- 
ing his  object  accomplished?  He  took  courage  and 
said:  "Very  and  Right  Reverend  Doctor,  since  the 
pastor  at  Altleben  has  died  a  blessed  death,  and  since 
the  place  thus  vacated  cannot  remain  unprovided  for, 
I—" 

"Dear  Master,"  somewhat  earnestly  rejoined  Spener, 
"  I  wish  you  had  not  again  reminded  me  of  this.  Since, 
however,  you  have  done  so,  I  will  openly  and  honestly 
tell  you  my  opinion  in  regard  to  it.  As  to  the  situ- 
ation at  Altleben,  you  need  not,  as  far  as  my  influence 
is  concerned,  entertain  any  hope.  Not,  indeed,  because 
I  have  any  objections  to  urge  against  your  doctrinal 
position,  or  against  your  walk  and  conversation  (for 
I  see  you  now  only  for  the  first  time,  and  do  not  even 
know  your  name),  but  for  other  reasons,  which  I 
will  state  to  you.  The  ministry  of  reconciliation  does 
not  come  from  men,  but  from  God  who  controls  the 
hearts  and  minds  of  men.  Now,  though  I  do  not, 
under  certain  circumstances,  regard  any  one  modestly 
offering  himself  as  absolutely  objectionable,  I  yet  do 


8^  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

not,  as  a  general  thing,  like  to  see  a  minister  obtaining 
a  charge  by  these  means,  much  less  would  I  consent 
to  aid  him  in  so  doing." 

Nullenbrecher  was  as  one  petrified ;  he  pulled  at  his 
unembroidered  neckerchief,  and  betrayed,  by  the  quick 
working  of  his  features,  that  this  candor  was  as 
unpleasant  to  him  as  it  had  been  unexpected.  But 
Spener,  who  had  not  the  remotest  idea  of  wounding 
the  man's  feelings,  continued  calmly,  and  in  a  tone  of 
mildness  :  "  My  view,  in  regard  to  the  matter,  is  this  : 
let  every  one  foster  and  improve  faithfully,  carefully, 
and  prayerfully  the  talents  with  which  he  has  been 
endowed ;  let  him  never  esteem  himself  worthy  of  a 
situation,  but,  instead  of  this,  call  upon  God,  in  the 
simplicity  of  his  heart,  for  the  sanctification  of  his 
studies  and  their  profitable  application,  and  then  leave 
the  manner  of  his  preferment  entirely  to  the  Lord, 
waiting  humbly  till  He  advance  him.  For,  believe 
me,  dear  sir,  God  forgets  no  one  who  has  properly 
prepared  himself  to  be  His  servant.  Pay  me  an 
occasional  visit,  so  that  we  may  mutually  become 
better  acquainted.  Your  time  will  come  too.  Mean- 
while, I  would  like  to  note  down  your  name;  will  you 
be  kind  enough,  sir,  to  favor  me  with  it?" 

The  face  of  the  candidate  turned  first  pale  and  then 
crimson ;  as  he  finally  said  hesitatingly  and  with  down- 
cast eyes,  "  My  name  is  Nullenbrecher,  Master  of  Arts." 

"  Nullenbrecher?"  repeated  Spener,  beginning  to 
reflect.  "It  seems  to  me,  as  if  some  one  had  only 
recently  mentioned  this  name  to  me  !  Only  yesterday, 
if  I  mistake  not,  as  I  was  returning  to  Dresden,  from 
a    short    visitation    tour!     Yes,  I  believe,  the   young 


THE  INTERVIEW. 


85 


artist,  whom  I  took  with  me,  mentioned  your  name  to 
me.  I  also  just  now  recollect  that  the  President  of  the 
consistory  has  already  spoken  to  me  about  you,  with 
the  assurance,  however,  that  he  has  no  personal 
acquaintance  with  you.  Now  go.  Peace  be  with  you, 
Master  Nullenbrecher,  and  I  shall  be  pleased  to  have 
you  call  soon  again." 

Nullenbrecher,  in  consequence  of  the  working  of  his 
features,  presented  a  strange  mixture  of  shame,  vexa- 
tion, rage,  and  forced  respect  due  the  court-chaplain, 
as  the  head  of  the  evangelical  ministry  of  Electoral 
Saxony.  Silently,  and  with  a  scarcely  perceptible 
bow,  he  left  the  room ;  and  what  kind  of  fruit  this  visit 
bore  him,  we  shall  see  hereafter. 


CHAPTER    V. 

A    PEEP  INTO    THE   HOUSE  AND   HEART. 

"  Which  show  the  work  of  the  law  written  in  their  hearts,  their  con- 
science also  bearing  witness,  and  their  thoughts  the  meanwhile  accus- 
ing, or  else  excusing  one  another." — Rom.  ii.  15. 

WE  will  again  return  to  the  house  of  Mr.  Gulden- 
meyer.  Within  a  small  chamber  on  the  ground 
floor,  which  commended  itself  at  once  to  the  heart  and 
mind  of  the  visitor  by  its  neatness  and  cleanliness,  we 
behold  Elizabeth,  buried  in  deep  thought.  Her  fea- 
tures betrayed  neither  the  emotions  of  joy  nor  of  sor- 
row, and  yet  her  bosom  heaved,  as  if  something  dis- 
turbed her  greatly.  She  had  taken  up  "Arndt's  True 
Christianity,"  her  usual  companion  in  trouble,  a  book, 
at  that  time,  to  be  found  in  every  Christian  family,  and, 
as  Spener  had  highly  recommended  it,  exceedingly 
popular.  She  attempted  to  read,  but  her  eyes  wan- 
dered unsteadily  over  its  pages.  "  I  cannot  read,"  she 
at  length  exclaimed;  "  my  anxiety,  and — why  should  I 
hide  it  from  myself? — my  joy  is  too  great.  Why  did 
the  wicked  old  man  reveal  it  to  me?  It  would  have 
been  better  for  my  peace  of  mind  if  I  had  never 
known  it." 

Just  at  this  time  the  sound  of  foot-steps  was  heard 
in  the  hall.  "Dear  me,"  she  exclaimed,  "if  this  should 
be  he !  And  yet  no  one  but  himself  would  dare  to 
venture  within  my  chamber." 

The  door  opened,  and  peorge  entered,  and,  hastening 
*(86) 


PEEP  INTO  HOUSE  AND  HEART.  gy 

towards  her,  exclaimed  :  "  The  few  hours  during  which 
I  have  been  separated  from  you,  dear  Ehzabeth,  have 
almost  seemed  an  eternity  to  me !  Are  you  really 
deserving  of  such  love  ?"  he  added,  attempting  at  the 
same  time,  to  embrace  his  sister,  whilst  the  deepest 
crimson  mantled  her  face.  She,  however,  timidly 
retreated.  "  What,"  continued  George,  "  is  this  the 
answer  to  my  question  ?" 

Bright  tears  fell  from  Elizabeth's  eyes,  and,  without 
looking  up  she  replied,  in  a  trembling  voice,  "  George, 
if  you — if  you  love  me,  leave  me  now!  Leave  me!  I 
beseech  you,  George,  go !  I  shall,  by  the  help  of 
God,  soon  be  more  calm." 

George  stood  still  as  if  petrified.  At  length  he 
exclaimed :  "  What  does  all  this  mean  ?  Has  any  mis- 
fortune befallen  you,  Elizabeth?" 

"  No,  no !"  she  replied  ;  "  and  yet  it  is  not  much 
else.  Please,  George,  leave  me.  Some  day,  perhaps, 
you  may  know  all." 

"And  why  not  now?"  persisted  George,  in  a  sor- 
rowful tone.  "  Has  the  brother  become  a  stranger  to 
you  ?  Has  my  absence  deprived  me  of  my  right  to 
your  confidence?  or  have  I  ceased  to  be  worthy  of  it? 
Is  it  possible,  Elizabeth,  that  you  should  regard  me 
with  distrust?" 

"  God  preserve  me  from  committing  such  a  wrong," 
replied  the  maiden.  "But,  if  you  have  any  pity  for 
me,  leave  me  alone  for  the  present.  It  is  all  too  new  to 
me  yet.     Go,  dear  George,  go!" 

George  moved  towards  the  door;  but,  turning  back 
again,  he  said,  in  a  tone  full  of  the  deepest  sorrow, 
"Elizabeth,  if  you  knew  how  dearly  I  love  you,  you 


38  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

could  not  cause  me  so  much  pain.  How  often,  when 
pursuing  my  soHtary  journeying  in  distant  lands,  how 
often,  when  in  fair  Italy,  I  gazed  with  rapture  upon  its 
landscape,  its  seas  and  sky,  my  thoughts  would  revert 
again  and  again  to  my  far-off  home,  into  your  little 
chamber,  to  you,  and  I  would  ask  myself,  'Is  her  heart 
as  full  of  you  as  is  yours  full  of  her?'  I  held  a  holi- 
day as  often  as  I  received  a  letter  from  you,  reading  it 
daily  for  weeks,  and  carrying  it  about  with  me  much 
oftener  than  I  did  my  prayer-book.  Besides  this,  the 
only  way  I  could  remember  you  was  in  my  prayers  to 
God,  that  He  might  ever  preserve  to  me  my  sister's 
love.  Returning,  I  traveled  with  the  greatest  speed, 
for  I  thought,  '  every  mile  further  on  my  way  brings 
me  one  mile  nearer  to  my  dear  sister  Elizabeth.'  And 
now,  since  your  presence  has  calmed  all  my  anxious 
thoughts — now,  that  I,  with  conscious  pride,  know 
myself  your  brother — now,  that  I  study,  day  and  night, 
how  I  may  please  you  and  render  you  happy  and  con- 
tented— now  it  is  that  your  heart  repulses  me,  and 
rears  a  wall  of  distrust  between  us.  Elizabeth,  you 
know  not  how  deeply  you  grieve  me." 

"  You  know  not  how  greatly  you  wrong  me," 
replied  Elizabeth.  "  You  shall  know  all,  only  do  not 
insist  upon  it  now." 

"I  know,"  continued  George,  "what  makes  you  so 
reserved  towards  me.  Master  Nullenbrecher  has  been 
appointed  to  the  pastorate  at  Altleben,  He  is  a  dis- 
tinguished and  learned  gentleman,  is  regarded  with 
high  favor  by  our  father,  whose  will,  I  know,  you 
esteem  sacred." 

Elizabeth   looked  at  her  brother  with  surprise  and 


PEEP  INTO  HOUSE  AND  HEART.  89 

astonishment,  and  attempted  a  reply,  but  only  shook 
her  head,  and,  with  a  painful  smile,  cast  her  eyes  to 
the  floor  and  remained  silent. 

"  Elizabeth,"  exclaimed  George,  approaching  nearer 
to  her,  "  you  do  not  love  Master  Nullenbrecher,  and  I 
am  again  satisfied  with  you.  But  how  could  I,  even  for 
a  single  moment,  have  given  way  to  the  idea,  that  your 
pure,  chaste  and  pious  soul  could  have  found  pleasure 
in  the  ostentatious  displays  of  that  vain,  presumptuous 
and  heartless  man  ?  You,  Spener's  most  faithful  pupil; 
he,  the  most  malicious  traducer  of  that  worthy 
and  good  man's  life  and  labors !  No ;  it  would  be 
easier  to  reconcile  day  with  night,  than  to  harmonize 
your  soul  and  his.  And  now,  dear  sister,  since  trouble 
has  been  removed,  will  you  not  tell  me  what  misfortune 
has  befallen  you  ?" 

"Do  not  urge  me,"  answered  the  sister;  "for,  even 
though  I  could  persuade  myself  to  tell  you  my  secret, 
I  would  still  not  dare  to  do  it ;  for  he  who  imparted  it 
to  me,  forbade  it,  and  I  feel  that  he  has  acted  well  in  so 
doing." 

"  Who  has  imparted  it  to  you  ?"  continued  the  inde- 
fatigable and  unsatisfied  brother.  "Father?  Yet,  what 
secret  could  the  father  have  between  his  children? 
Hold,  now  I  have  it.  During  my  absence  the  Lock- 
witz  school  master  has  been  with  you ;  the  maid  told 
me  so.     It  was  he,  Elizabeth." 

Elizabeth  blushed  deeply,  and  returned  a  scarcely 
audible  affirmative  to  the  inquisitive  questioner. 

"  What  possible  secret  can  this  man  have  to  com- 
municate to  you?"  said  the  brother.  "Much  as  I 
respect  him;  yea,  much  as,  notwithstanding  the  short- 


pO  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

ness  of  our  acquaintance,  my  affections  incline  with 
unusual  and  unaccountable  fervor  towards  him,  as 
little  am  I  pleased  with  him  for  playing  the  secret- 
monger  between  sister  and  brother.  I  shall  hunt  him 
up  immediately,  and  call  him  to  account.  I  know  the 
house  where  he  puts  up  when  in  the  city.  I  must  see 
him,  though  I  should  have  to  go  to  Lockwitz." 

"You  will  not  do  it,  George,"  importuned  the  maiden. 
"  Will  you  not  believe  me,  if  I  tell  you,  that  some  day 
you  shall  know  all  ?  And  that  you  may  know  that  I 
wish  to  conceal  nothing  from  you  of  all  that  weighs 
upon  my  heart,  I  will  tell  you  something,  of  which  you 
never  had  even  so  much  as  a  presentiment.  I  dare 
say,  George,  you  have  always  regarded  father  as  being 
a  very  rich  man." 

"And  is  he  not?"  asked  George,  in  surprise. 

"He  was,"  she  replied.  "Alas!  dear  George,  durmg 
your  absence,  many  changes  have  taken  place  in  our 
house,  which  changes  were  not  always  for  the  best.  I 
fear  there  are  dark  days  before  us — before  me.  I  have 
made  a  discovery,  which  fills  me  with  very  grave 
apprehensions." 

George  held  his  breath,  in  anxious  expectation,  and 
exclaimed,  "  Go  on,  go  on  !" 

"  You  do  not  yet  know,"  continued  the  maiden, 
"that,  since  the  death  of  our  dear,  blessed  mother,  our 
household  has  been  going  backward,  instead  of  forward. 
This  might  seriously  reflect  upon  myself,  who,  from 
the  time  of  the  occurrence  of  that,  to  me,  more  than 
mournful  event,  have  had  the  entire  charge  of  the 
house;  but  I  assure  you  that  I  am  not  so  much 
to  blame;  though,  since  I  know  how  it  stands  with 


PEEP  INTO  HOUSE  AND  HEART. 


91 


father,  I  cannot  but  blame  myself  somewhat.  Father  is 
good ;  but,  God  forgive  me  for  saying  it,  almost  too 
good,  too  careless  of  the  future." 

Do  you  refer  to  his  future  beyond  the  grave  ?" 
asked  the  brother,  interrupting  her.  "  Our  father 
(may  I  be  pardoned,)  did  not  always  think  much  of 
the  word  of  God." 

"  I  was  not  thinking  of  that  just  now,"  she  replied, 
"  though  I  know  only  too  well  that  this  ivant  of 
genuine  Christian  piety,  which  sanctifies  men's  thoughts 
and  dispositions,  has  become  to  him  the  source  of 
another  want.  Formerly,  when  father  attended  to  the 
shop  himself,  working  from  morning  till  night,  all  went 
well.  His  work  passed  for  the  best  in  the  city;  he 
had  more  customers  than  he  could  well  attend  to. 
But,  since  our  blessed  mother's  death,  all  this  has  been 
changed.  He  enters  the  shop  but  seldom,  and  leaves 
everything  to  unskillful  journeymen,  by  which  means 
his  earnings  day  by  day  grow  less,  because  the  work 
daily  grows  poorer,  and  people  cannot  be  blamed  for 
going  elsewhere  with  their  orders.  Father  does  not 
see  this,  or  will  not  see  it;  but  continues  to  esteem 
himself  as  rich  as  ever,  and  is,  withal,  excessively 
liberal  towards  all,  and  carries  everywhere  an  open 
purse.  How  praiseworthy  soever  this  may  be  in  a 
certain  sense,  it  can,  nevertheless,  not  continue  with- 
out injury  to  himself;  and  this  is  already  the  case. 
Mr.  Petermann  has  positively  assured  me,  that  the 
sums,  which  he  has,  little  by  little,  borrowed  on  his 
house,  have  accumulated  to  an  amount  so  large,  that 
he  is  not  able  to  pay  it.  Unfortunately,  his  principal 
creditor  is  a  hard  and  ungodly  man,  and  has  already 


Q2  PHILIP P   JACOB  SPENER. 

intimated  that  he  intends  shortly  to  take  possession  of 
our  house." 

"That  is  bad,"  said  the  brother.  "Such  a  thing  had 
never  entered  my  mind.  The  prospect  of  being  turned 
out  of  house  and  home  is  not  very  pleasant.  How- 
ever, tell  me  truly,  Elizabeth,  do  you  regard  it  as  a 
very  great  misfortune  ?" 

"Certainly  not,  dear  George,"  replied  the  maiden: 
"  Father  Spener  has,  thanks  be  to  God,  taught  me 
that  there  is  a  still  greater  misfortune  than  that  of  being 
poor  in  temporal  goods.  I  am  not  afraid  of  being 
poor,  but  to  become  poor,  that  is  sad." 

"Are  you  then  afraid  of  not  having  sufficient  forti- 
tude to  bear  it  ?"  asked  the  brother. 

"  O,  as  for  me,  I  am  not  afraid,  nor  for  you,  but  for 
father.  His  property  and  estate  are  daily  growing  less, 
whilst  his  wants  are  increasing,  especially  since  this 
disagreeable  Master  Nullenbrecher  has  been  honoring 
our  house  with  his  visits.  All  this  must  come  to  an 
end  some  day,  and  that  perhaps  soon.  Will  father, 
who,  from  his  youth,  has  been  accustomed  to  abund- 
ance, be  able  to  accommodate  himself  in  his  old  age 
to  poverty  and  want?  And  must  it  not  make  me 
doubly  unhappy  to  hear  him  complain  and  see  him 
suffer,  without  the  ability  to  relieve  him  ?" 

"  No,  no,  dear  sister,"  said  George,  soothingly,  "  our 
aged  father  shall  not  suffer  as  long  as  I  live.  I  will 
not  have  spent  my  father's  money  in  Italy,  for  three 
years,  in  vain.  Perhaps  it  is  on  this  account  that  his 
pecuniary  affairs  are  so  unsettled." 

"  God  forbid,"  she  exclaimed,  "  that  father  should 
ever  reproach  you  with  this.     The  worst  is,  he  has  no 


PEEP  INTO  HOUSE  AND  HEART.  g^ 

idea  of  his  approaching  ruin;  for  which  reason,  I  think  it 
would  be  well  if  his  eyes  were  opened  to  his  situation." 

"Who  shall  undertake  this?"  asked  George,  sadly. 
"  Father  is  now  more  irritable  than  I  ever  knew  him 
before,  and  becomes  so  violent  in  his  expressions,  that 
one  loses  all  courage  to  confer  with  him  on  such  mat 
ters.  It  was  only  this  morning,  that  I  had  a  renewed 
proof  of  this.  I  spoke  to  him  on  the  subject  of  his 
having  forbidden  you  to  attend  Spener's  examina,  and 
endeavored  to  explain  to  him  respectfully  how  unjustly 
he  was  acting.  But  I  had  to  suffer  for  it,  by  being 
obliged  to  listen  to  some  very  hard  words." 

"  Is  it  then  settled,"  interrupted  Elizabeth,  in  a  dis- 
tressed voice,  "  that  I  am  to  attend  the  examina  no 
more  ?" 

"  Compose  yourself,  dear  sister,"  said  the  brother, 
soothingly.  "  Continue  to  do  as  heretofore,  and  I  will 
accompany  you.  The  dear,  good  man,  gained  my 
confidence  so  completely,  when  it  was  my  good  fortune 
first  to  meet  with  him,  that  I  feel  as  though  he  had 
thrown  a  charm  around  me.  At  a  more  favorable  time, 
I  will  get  father  into  a  different  mind,  and  also  seek  an 
opportunity  to  confer  with  him  on  the  subject  of  the 
unfortunate  condition  of  his  finances.  It  would,  of 
course,  be  better  if  a  spiritual  family  friend  would 
undertake  to  influence  his  heart.  O,  if  the  Reverend 
Spener  could  only  once  speak  to  him !" 

"That  will  never  happen,"  said  the  raaiden,  decidedly. 
"  That  hateful  Master  Nullenbrecher  has  taken  care  of 
that.  Father  is  so  completely  prejudiced  against  him, 
that  he  makes  a  public  boast  of  his  never  having  heard 
him." 


Q4  PHILIPP  JACOB   SPENER. 

"  But,  why?"  asked  the  brother. 

"  He  has,  in  reahty,  no  good  reason  for  it,"  con- 
tinued Ehzabeth.  "  But  having  heard  that  Father 
Spener  had  most  of  his  enemies  among  the  rich  and 
noble,  and  especially  among  the  learned,  he  chimes  in 
with  them,  and  — "  here  she  suddenly  hesitated,  and, 
weeping  copiously,  fell  on  her  brother's  neck,  and  said, 
"  O  George,  am  I  not  most  unfortunate  in  being  obliged 
to  say  these  things  about  my  father  ?" 

"Take  heart,"  said  George,  affectionately:  "all  will 
end  better  than  our  fears  permit  us  at  present  to  hope. 
Have  you  not  read  in  the  holy  Scriptures,  Trust  in  the 
Lord  with  all  thy  heart;  and  lean  not  unto  thine  own 
understanding?  In  all  thy  ways  acknowledge  Him,  and 
He  shall  direct  thy  paths.  And  now,  my  good,  dear 
Elizabeth,  remove  the  only  secret  now  between  us,  by 
telling  me  what  else  weighs  yet  upon  your  mind  ? 
Open  your  heart  to  me,  your  brother,  as  a  true  sister 
should  do." 

At  this,  as  if  again  coming  to  herself,  she  tremb- 
lingly tore  herself  away  from  her  brother,  covered  her 
eyes  with  her  hands,  and  said  in  a  voice  scarcely  audi- 
ble, "  Alas,  I  am  not  that!" 

"  What  ?"  asked  George,  in  great  eagerness.  "  What 
are  you  not?  I  pray  you  for  mercy's  sake,  speak 
plainer !" 

"Shall  /  speak  plainer?"  suddenly  exclaimed  the 
father,  who  had*  just  entered.  "What  are  you  about, 
that  you  don't  even  hear  the  door-bell  any  more  ? 
Have  you  nothing  better  to  do,  George,  than  to  be 
here  indulging  in  idle  conversation,  and  as  it  seems 
vying    with   a   woman   in   crying?      Up,   and   hasten 


PEEP  INTO  HOUSE  AND  HEART. 


95 


quickly  to  the  Rev.  Master  Nullenbrecher,  give  him 
my  compHments  with  the  request  to  honor  my  house 
forthwith  with  his  presence,  inasmuch  as  his  high  and 
noble-born  cousin,  the  favorite  of  his  Electoral  High- 
ness, the  right  noble  Herr  von  Langendorf,  has  been 
graciously  pleased  to  expect  him  here,  in  my  humble 
abode,  because  he  has  something  very  important  to 
say  to  him.  And  you,  Elizabeth,  provide  us  with 
something  out  of  the  well-known  cask,  to  the  left, 
second  tier,  and,  also,  with  whatever  else  your  kitchen 
may  contain." 

George,  who  in  consequence  of  this  sudden  inter- 
ruption, was  not  particularly  disposed  to  obedience, 
had,  nevertheless,  been  so  intimidated  by  his  father's 
command,  that  he  left  the  chamber  without  a  word 
of  opposition.  When  the  artisan,  approaching  a  step 
nearer,  said :  "  Elizabeth,  I  know  that  Petermann  has 
been  to  see  you!  Should  he  have  talked  with  you 
about  certain  matters,  you  will  do  well  not  to  speak  of 
them  before  I  give  you  permission !  Do  you  under- 
stand me?" 

The  poor  girl  trembled  all  over,  and  cast  a  look  of 
anxious  entreaty  upon  her  father.  This  may  have  had 
the  effect  of  somewhat  softening  his  heart ;  for  he 
stroked  her  brow  with  his  hand,  and  said,  "  My  child, 
my  principle  is,  '  honor  gone,  all's  gone !'  Is  your 
father  to  lose  everything  through  you  ?  Obey  me, 
and  do  not  throw  away  j(??^r  happiness  a'nd  my  honor." 

When  Mr.  Guldenmeyer  had  returned  to  his  noble 
guest,  he  said,  "  I  beg  your  gracious  pardon,  for  having 
been  obliged  to  leave  your  high  and  well-born  grace 
alone,    in    consequence    of  my    daughter    not    having 


g5  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

heard  the  ringing  of  the  bell,  whilst  I  repeat,  with  all 
due  respect,  my  thanks  for  the  high  honor  which  your 
right  noble  grace  has  been  pleased  to  confer  on  my 
humble  house." 

"  You  must  not  entertain  such  a  mean  opinion  of 
yourself,"  replied  the  courtier,  who  lay  carelessly 
stretched  upon  the  big  arm-chair,  with  his  head  bent 
a  little  to  one  side,  in  order  that  his  elegantly  curled 
wig  might  not  suffer  derangement,  whilst  his  shining 
sword,  with  its  heavily-gilt  hilt,  dangled  by  his  side. 
"  You  are  an  artisan  of  this  city,  well-skilled  and 
highly  respected,  both  on  account  of  your  wealth  and 
particularly  on  account  of  your  beautiful  daughter, 
who  is  justly  looked  upon  as  the  crown  among  the 
maidens  of  the  capital,  and  who  would  not  compare 
unfavorably  even  with  the  ladies  of  the  court.  For 
this  reason  I  too  have  most  cheerfully  consented  that 
my  highly  distinguished  and  learned  cousin,  Master 
Nullenbrecher,  should  become  your  son-in-law,  and 
myself,  in  consequence,  a  connection  of  your  house. 
Since  Altleben  is  not  removed  from  here  at  too  great 
a  distance,  I  think  of  paying  frequent  visits  there 
myself,  in  obedience  to  my  cousinly  affection.  But 
where  stays  your  dear  little  daughter?" 

"  She  will  soon  make  her  appearance,"  replied  the 
artisan,  with  a  profound  bow.  "  Your  right  noble 
grace  does  my  house  too  much  honor." 

"And  have  you  also  sent  for  my  cousin  ?"  asked  the 
cavalier. 

"At  your  service,"  was  the  reply.  "  My  son  George 
has  himself  gone  to  hunt  him  up." 

"  I  am  curious  to  know,"  continued  Herr  von  Lan- 


PEEP  INTO  HOUSE  AND  HEART.  gj 

gendorf,  "what  success  he  has  met  with  at  the  court- 
chaplain's.  His  Electoral  Highness  has  had  the  grace 
repeatedly  to  assure  me  that  he  will  most  willingly  con- 
sent to  the  election  of  my  cousin,  as  pastor  at  Altleben. 
But  where  stays  your  daughter,  Mr.  Guldenmeyer?" 

"I  wonder  at  it  myself,"  replied  the  goldsmith,  "that 
she  has  not  yet  made  her  appearance.  However,  it  is 
the  fashion  of  these  women — perhaps  she  is,  in  honor 
of  our  distinguished  guest,  exchanging  her  simple  dis- 
habille, for  a  more  becoming  dress." 

"Ah  !  but  tell  me,  Mr.  Guldenmeyer,"  exclaimed  the 
courtier,  "your  daughter  is  reputed  to  be  a  very  pious 
Christian  maiden,  and  a  constant  attendant  upon  all 
the  examina  of  the  court-chaplain,  where  she  always 
gives  the  aptest  answers.  Of  this  I  have  been  assured 
through  various  sources  ;  for  I,  myself,  you  must  well 
understand,  cannot  consistently  listen  to  a  man  who 
likes  to  point  his  sharpest  weapons  at  the  court,  and 
who,  in  so  doing,  does  not  even  spare  his  Electoral 
Highness.  This  makes  Dr.  Spener,  of  course,  popu- 
lar among  the  people,  who  are  attached  to  all  who  rail 
against  the  government,  the  nobility,  and  the  reigning 
Electoral  House.  Are  you  also  a  Spenerite — a  pietist, 
Mr.  Goldenmeyer?" 

"  May  God  preserve  me  from  this  pietistic  abomina- 
tion," replied  the  artisan.  "  I  can  give  your  right  noble 
grace  the  assurance,  that  I  have  never  yet  heard  even 
one  syllable  from  the  lips  of  this  court-chaplain,  and 
that  I  have  not  the  remotest  hankering  after  his  pious 
teachings.     As  regards  my  daughter — " 

"Sure  enough!"    exclaimed  the  cavalier,  "  where  is 
your  daughter  ?" 
5 


p8  PniLIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

"She  is  just  at  hand,"  replied  the  father,  "for  I  hear 
steps  in  the  hall."  But  the  noble  Herr  von  Langen- 
dorf  was  doomed  to  be  again  disappointed,  for  the 
door  opened  and  in  stepped  Master  Nullenbrecher. 
"  Right  honored  cousin,"  he  exclaimed,  and  his  quick 
breathing  gave  evidence  that  he  had  come  in  great 
haste,  "  I  lament  from  the  bottom  of  my  soul,  that  the 
high  and  right  noble  Herr  von  Langendorf,  has  been 
necessitated  to  wait  here  for  my  humble  person  ;  I  am, 
however,  only  in  part  to  blame,  inasmuch  as  I  called 
at  his  dwelling,  without  finding  him  in." 

"No  matter,  my  dear  cousin,"  said  the  cavalier.  "  I 
knew  that  we  would  be  most  likely  to  meet  here,  in 
the  house  of  your  father-in-law.  But  tell  me,  first  of 
all,  with  what  success  have  you  met  at  the  court-chap- 
lain's?" 

"  With  none — none  at  all,"  was  the  answer. 

"What!"  passionately  exclaimed  Herr  von  Langen- 
dorf— "  did  he  dare  to  disregard  my  recommendation, 
and  especially  the  wishes  of  his  Electoral  Highness  ?" 

"  Even  so,  right  noble  cousin,"  assured  the  Master. 
"  The  very  reverend  gentleman  had  the  rare  considera- 
tion to  tell  me  plainly  that  I  need  not  cherish  any  hope 
in  regard  to  Altleben,  probably  because  I  have  not  yet 
advanced  so  far  as  to  be  a  pietist.  A  little  leaven 
leaveneth  the  whole  lump,  according  to  Galatians,  fifth 
chapter ;  a  single  learned  look  has  deprived  me  of  the 
favor  of  the  pietist.  Believe  me,  my  right  noble  cousin, 
in  these  times  it  is  exceedingly  difficult  for  a  real  theo- 
logian to  attain  to  station  and  honor." 

"Is  it  then  really  true  that  you  have  been  rejected?" 
again  asked  the  cavalier,  raising  himself  from  his  chair, 


PEEP  INTO  HOUSE  AND  HEART.  qq 

and,  in  his  anger,  pressing,  with  his  left  hand,  the  hilt 
of  his  sword  so  violently,  that  its  point  touched  the 
elegant  curls  which  had  fallen  over  his  back.  "On  the 
honor  of  a  knight,  the  insolent  pietist  shall  rue  this. 
The  consistory  sits  to-morrow  morning,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  holding  an  election;  I  will  try  some  other 
means;  if  this  does  not  succeed,  then  let  me  not  be  a 
branch  of  the  noble  house  of  Langendorf,  if  I  do  not 
overthrow  the  throne  of  this  pietist." 

"  High  and  right  noble  cousin,"  said  Nullenbrecher, 
"you  show  me  such  great  favor  and  honor,  by  your 
unmerited  kindness,  that  I  shall  never  be  able  to 
return  it." 

"  My  affection,  as  your  cousin,  constrains  me,  mon 
cher  ami,"  assured  Herr  von  Langendorf,  "  and,  more- 
over, I  have  accustomed  myself  to  the  thought  of  see- 
ing you  at  Altleben,  and — but  Mr.  Guldenmeyer,  where, 
in  all  patience,  stays  your  beautiful  daughter  ?  I  hope 
my  humble  presence  has  not  frightened  the  timid 
maid?" 

"  Pardon,  your  right  noble  grace  !"  begged  the  artisan. 
"  I  will  myself  go  and  see ;"  and  he  hastily  left  the  room. 

"  How  far  are  you  on  with  the  maiden  ?"  asked  the 
knight  of  his  cousin,  in  a  somewhat  subdued  tone. 

Nullenbrecher  shrugged  his  shoulders,  and  replied  : 
"  I  have  not  quite  reached  the  goal  yet.  Our  betrothal 
was  to  have  been  celebrated  a  few  days  ago,  and  I  was 
just  in  a  fair  way  of  drawing  from  her  virgin  lips  the 
bridal  yes,  when  her  brother  George  unexpectedly  en- 
tered, and  entirely  disconcerted  my  well-laid  plan.  I 
have  hated  the  young  man  ever  since,  and  am  heartily 
glad  that  he  did  not  follow  me  hither." 


lOO  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

"  But  you  certainly  made  sure  of  the  father  ?"  que- 
ried von  Langendorf 

"  Entirely  so,"  declared  the  Master.  "  Moreover,  I 
also  flatter  myself  that  Miss  Elizabeth,  herself,  is  not 
altogether  averse  to  me,  at  least  so  I  conclude  from 
that  exceeding  shyness  with  which  she,  on  all  occa- 
sions, avoids  me !" 

"  Very  true,"  added  the  knight.  "  Things  which  are 
externally  repellent,  are  internally  attracted.  You  will 
not  be  jealous,  cousin,  I  hope,  if  I  should  occasionally 
visit  your  wife,  as  ma  chere  cousine." 

"  I  would  regard  it  as  a  great  honor  to  myself,  per- 
sonally !"    said  NuUenbrecher,  with  a  profound  bow. 

And  now  there  was  heard,  in  tolerably  loud  and 
harsh  tones,  in  the  hall,  the  voice  of  the  artisan.  Soon 
after  the  door  opened,  and  he  entered,  followed  by 
Elizabeth,  who,  pale  and  with  downcast  eyes,  placed 
quietly  and  in  silence,  two  bottles  of  wine  upon  the 
table. 

"Ay,  my  pretty  maid,"  said  the  cavalier,  addressing 
her,  "  whither  have  fled  the  roses  from  your  cheeks  ? 
However,  these  lilies  become  you  still  better.  Are 
you  sick  ?"  he  continued,  raising  her  chin  with  knightly 
politeness.  "Why  has  the  pretty  Elizabeth  made  us 
wait  for  her  such  a  length  of  time  ?" 

The  poor  girl  was  in  great  agony.  Forced  by  her 
father,  by  threats  and  main  strength,  into  the  room, 
she  found  herself  in  the  midst  of  three  men,  neither  of 
whom  could  offer  her  protection  or  sympathy;  the 
first,  a  nobleman,  whose  flattering  speeches  and  atten- 
tions entered  her  heart  like  red-hot  iron  ;  the  other,  an 
uninvited,  contentious  and  heartless  suitor,  from  whose 


19821 


PEEP  INTO  HOUSE  AND  HEART.  jqi 

first  visit  to  the  house,  she  dated  all  their  domestic  dis- 
cord, and  the  third,  her  own  father,  who,  blinded  by 
mere  rank,  and  perhaps  also  goaded  by  the  upbraiding 
of  an  awakened  conscience,  was,  by  his  harshness,  far 
from  exciting  love  and  confidence  in  the  heart  of  his 
child.  Elizabeth  stood  there,  mute  and  patient,  like  a 
lamb  led  to  the  slaughter,  but  in  her  heart,  she  prayed 
to  the  Lord. 

"  I  told  your  right  noble  Grace,"  the  artisan  made 
answer,  speaking  for  his  child,  "  that  my  daughter 
had  delayed  only  because  she  did  not  wish  to  appear 
before  our  distinguished  guest  in  dishabille." 

"  My  pretty  child,"  said  the  knight,  "  do  you  not  yet 
know  that  real  beauty  appears  to  best  advantage  in 
simple  garb  ?" 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  my  well-esteemed  cousin,"  ex- 
claimed the  Master,  devouring  Elizabeth  with  his  little 
eyes,  "  the  beautiful  Judith  washed  and  anointed'  her- 
self with  precious  ointment,  and  braided  the  hair  of 
her  head,  and  put  a  tire  upon  it,  and  put  on  her  gar- 
ments of  gladness,  and  put  about  her  her  bracelets,  her 
chains,  and  her  rings,  and  her  earrings,  and  all  her 
ornaments." 

"You  forget,  my  dear  cousin,"  added  Langendorf, 
with  an  affected  smile,  "  that  in  comparing  your  pretty 
bride  with  the  beautiful  Judith,  you  predict  not  the 
most  desirable  fate  for  yourself;  for  Judith,  if  I  remem- 
ber right,  was  a  young  widow." 

"  Of  course,"  assured  Nullenbrecher,  who,  in  his 
zeal  to  display  his  knowledge,  altogether  forgot  both 
his  bride  and  himself,  "  the  beautiful  Judith  was 
a    widow,    in    the    time    of    the    unbelievino-    Holo- 


I02  PHIL  IP P  JACOB  SPENER. 

femes,  for  the  period  of  three  years  and  six  months, 
and  her  husband's  name  was  Manasses,  who  died  dur- 
ing harvest,  in  consequence  of  the  great  heat." 

While  the  knight  was  speaking  of  the  Master's 
young  bride,  a  quick  flash  of  thought  suddenly  passed 
over  Elizabeth's  countenance,  and  her  cheeks  crim- 
soned; she  essayed  a  reply,  but  a  look  from  her  father 
bound  her  to  silence.  She  was,  however,  to  be  relieved 
from  her  painful  situation,  at  least  for  the  present. 

After  a  sounding  knock,  the  door  opened,  and  with- 
out waiting  for  an  invitation  to  enter,  in  stepped  a 
man,  whose  uniform  betokened  him  to  be  an  officer  of 
the  court,  who,  turning  to  Mr.  Guldenmeyer,  said, 
"Mr.  Guldenmeyer,  you  are  summoned  to  appear  be- 
fore the  court  to-morrow  morning,  at  ten  o'clock." 

"  I  ?"  asked  the  goldsmith,  in  astonishment,  "  you 
must  be  mistaken,  friend!  What  have  I  to  do  before 
court?     At  whose  order  do  you  summon  me?" 

"That  is  no  business  of  mine,  sir,"  replied  the  official, 
"  neither  would  it  be  proper  for  me  to  tell  you,  even  if 
I  did  know;  yet  I  can  inform  you  that  Mr.  Bennhofer 
has  recently  been  about  the  court-house,  and  it  may  be 
he  who  entered  complaint  against  you." 

Guldenmeyer  turned  pale,  and  began  to  tremble 
from  head  to  foot.  He,  however,  soon  regained  his 
self-possession  somewhat,  and  replied,  "  Very  good, 
my  friend,  I  shall  appear ;  I  suppose  it  concerns  a 
certain  guardianship,  which  Mr.  Bennhofer  and  myself 
have  assumed.  Go,  my  good  fellow,  go;  I  shall  be 
there  at  the  hour  appointed." 

The  official  took  his  departure.  In  the  mean  time, 
Elizabeth,  utterly  forgetful  of  her  own  sorrow,  turned 
to  her  father,  and  said,  "  Dear  father,  are  you  ill  ?" 


PEEP  IXTO  HOUSE  AND  HEART.  103 

"  Who  says  that  anything  ails  me  ?','  he  roughly 
demanded.  And  then,  as  if  recollecting  himself,  he 
added  in  a  milder  tone,  "  You  may  be  right,  my  child; 
my  old  complaint ;  I  felt  it  this  morning  already,  im- 
mediately on  getting  out  of  bed.     Where  is  George?" 

"I  do  not  know,  dear  father,"  replied  the  daughter. 

"  He  was  at  my  lodgings,  a  short  time  ago,"  inter- 
posed the  Master,  "  to  announce  to  me  that  my  high, 
and  right  noble,  and  much-honored  cousin  desired  to 
see  my  humble  self,  here  in  your  house.  And  when  I 
asked  him  whether  I  should  have  the  honor  of  his 
company,  he  replied  that  he  was  very  sorry,  inasmuch 
as  he  was  obliged  to  make  another  call." 

"My  child,"  continued  the  goldsmith,  without  fully 
succeeding  in  regaining  his  composure,  "  could  you 
not,  in  case  that  George  should  return  too  late, 
write  a  few  lines  for  me  to  Mr.  Bennhofer?  I  feel  as 
though  I  had  been  too  hasty  in  promising  to  appear  on 
to-morrow,  in  consideration  of  my  old  complaint, 
which  usually  keeps  me  confined  to  bed  for  several 
days.  Is  it  not  so,  my  child  ?  You  can  testify  to  the 
truth  of  what  I  say." 

"  You  have,  dear  father,  it  is  true,  at  times  been 
afflicted  with  slight  attacks  of  sickness,"  replied  Eliza- 
beth, "yet  God,  in  his  goodness,  has  always  speedily 
restored  you." 

"  True,  true,"  continued  the  goldsmith,  "  yet  the 
attack  has  sometimes  lasted  for  eight  days.  And  lest 
I  should  want  an  additional  witness  for  to-morrow,  you, 
Rev.  Master,  and  perhaps  also  your  right  noble  Herr 
von  Langendorf,  would  not  hesitate  to  attest  my  indis- 
position.    For  the  same  reason  you  will  also  pardon 


I04  PHILIPP  JACOB   SPENER. 

me,  noble  sirs,  for  not  having  invited  you  to  partake 
of  some  refreshments,  though  they  have  long  been 
waiting  for  us  upon  the  table.  Having  no  appetite  to- 
day myself,  I  was  simple  enough  to  suppose  that  you 
too — .     If  I  may,  however,  beg  of  you — " 

"  Not  at  all,  my  dear  sir,"  interrupted  the  nobleman, 
"that  you  do  really  feel  unwell  is  evidenced  by  the 
sudden  change  of  your  color,  a  symptom  indicating 
disordered  blood.  You  had,  therefore,  better  retire  to 
rest,  and  let  your  pretty  daughter  nurse  you,  when 
your  complaint  will  doubtless  soon  give  way.  More- 
over, my  time  is  up,  and  I  am  expected  by  his  Elec- 
toral Highness.  Perhaps  my  cousin  will  accompany 
me." 

Nullenbrecher  asserted  his  readiness  to  leave,  and 
the  two  noble  gentlemen  politely  took  their  departure. 
Having  passed  some  little  distance  beyond  the  house, 
the  knight  asked,  "  Do  you  know  the  real  cause  of  his 
sudden  indisposition?" 

"  No  !"   returned  the  Master. 

"  There  is  something  behind  all  this,"  continued 
Langendorf,  "  some  secret,  I  dare  say,  and  it  is  ever  an 
advantage  to  be  privy  to  another's  secret.  Perhaps 
you  arc  acquainted  with  some  member  of  the  bar." 

"  I  cannot  say  that  I  am,"  replied  Nullenbrecher. 

"Well,"  added  the  cavalier,  "I  will  look  out  for  that. 
As  regards  the  charge  of  Altleben,  you  must  not  yet 
resign  all  hope :  I  will  interest  myself  for  you.  For 
it  seems  to-  me  advisable  that  Elizabeth  leave  her 
father's  house  as  soon  as  possible,  and  become  your 
faithful  spouse.  Now,  farewell ;  and  if  otherwise  not 
prevented,  come  to-morrow  morning  about  this  time 
to  my  private  lodgings."  Thus  these  two  men  sepa- 
rated. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

THE  ENTERTAINMENT. 
Is  not  the  life  more  than  meat? — Matt,  vi :  25, 

A  BOUT  noon  on  the  following  day,  the  dining  table 
t\  at  the  house  of  the  court  chaplain  contained 
rather  more  covers  than  usual.  The  house-wife  doubt- 
less expected  some  guests.  Any  one,  not  knowing 
her,  but  seeing  her  moving  about  among  the  children 
(all  of  whom  esteemed  it  a  favor  if  they  could  only 
take  her  hand),  modestly  arrayed  in  a  simple  gown, 
perfectly  free  from  all  display  of  fashionable  finery, 
and  wearing  a  plain,  unpretending  head-dress,  trimmed 
with  blue  ribbon,  would  never  have  taken  her  to  be 
Susannah  Spener,  the  wife  of  the  first  clergyman  in 
the  Electorate,  and  daughter  of  the  distinguished  sen- 
ator Ehrhardt  of  Strasburg.  Although  a  wife  for  four 
and  twenty  years,  although  at  the  age  of  forty-five  (she 
being  born  Jan.  8,  A.  D.  1644,  in  Strasburg,)  and  the 
mother  of  eleven  children,  six  sons  and  five  daughters, 
of  whom  the  youngest  was  only  six  months  old,  she 
had,  nevertheless,  retained  that  fresh,  unimpaired  bodily 
vigor,  which  presages  a  long  life  and  happy  old  age. 

The  choice  of  Spener's  wife  was  really  made  by  his 
mother,  with  whose  wishes  he  however,  did  not  render 
immediate  compliance.  For  Spener,  in  his  retired 
bachelor  life,  which  had  been  exclusively  devoted  to 
study,  had  settled  down  in  the  firm  conviction  that  his 
habitual  seriousness,  and  even  severity  of  countenance 
5*  (105) 


I06  PHIL  IP P  JACOB  SPENER. 

(though  he  was  the  very  picture  of  the  most  winning 
gentleness),  altogether  unfitted  him  for  conducting 
himself  as  lovingly  towards  a  young  woman  as  he 
should.  It  had,  therefore,  become  his  fixed  determina- 
tion to  marry  only  a  widozv,  who  had  been  united  to  a 
rude  and  unkind  husband,  and  who  might  conse- 
quently on  that  account  the  more  readily  be  contented 
with  this  habitual  seriousness.  However,  Susannah, 
though  at  that  time  a  maiden  of  only  twenty,  neverthe- 
less knew  well  how  to  accommodate  herself,  without 
much  difficulty,  to  this  seriousness  of  her  husband; 
for  she  loved  him  with  her  whole  heart. 

Mother  and  children  were  standing  in  expectation  of 
the  arrival  of  the  guests,  when  the  door  opened,  and 
Spener,  accompanied  by  two  gentlemen,  entered.  The 
one,  a  man  tolerably  advanced  in  years,  betrayed  by 
the  elegance  of  his  apparel,  by  several  brilliant  badges 
of  honor  about  him,  but  more  especially  by  the  unmis- 
takable dignity  expressed  in  his  noble  countenance, 
that  he  was  a  personage  of  high  distinction.  The 
other,  a  man  of  middle  age,  could  at  once  be  recog- 
nized as  a  country  clergyman.  Whilst  Spener  intro- 
duced both  these  gentlemen  to  his  wife,  he  said,  "  My 
dear  Susannah,  this  is  the  noble  Baron  von  Sccken- 
dorf,  whom  you  have  long  known  as  a  kind  well- 
wisher  to  our  family ;  and  this  is  the  Rev.  Mr.  Gerber, 
from  Schonberg,  one  of  the  first  among  my  ministerial 
brethren  in  this  vicinity,  who  has  esteemed  me  worthy 
of  a  visit." 

"Your  Excellency  confers  an  undeserved  honor 
upon  our  house,"  said  Mrs.  Spener,  addressing  the 
Baron.     "  If  our  pleasant  Dresden  was  not  such  a  very 


THE  ENTERTAINMENT.  10/ 

lovely  place  of  sojourn,  I  might  ask  your  Excellency 
how  it  was  possible  for  you  to  leave,  even  for  a  time, 
your  delightful  Meuselwitz?" 

"  My  Susannah  certainly  is  right,"  added  Spener. 
"  Since  you  have  retired  from  public  life,  you  have 
seldom  or  never  left  your  estate,  or  rather  your 
books." 

The  Baron  replied  with  a  smile,  '*  I  answer,  with  my 
beloved  Horace, 

"  '  Beatus  ille,  qui  procul  negotiis 

Paterna  rura  bobus  exercet  suis.'  "* 

"  Procul  negotiis?"  repeated  Spener  with  a  hearty 
laugh.  "  Your  voluminous  commentary  de  Lutheran- 
isino  bears  evidence  to  the  contrary,  and  does  not  per- 
mit you  to  enjoy  so  soon  this  desired  rest,  for  you  still 
owe  us  the  conclusion  of  your  admirable  work." 

"  I  bid  you  a  hearty  welcome,  Mr.  Gerber,"  said  the 
housewife,  now  addressing  herself  to  that  gentleman. 
"We  are  glad  that  the  distance  of  the  way  did  not 
prevent  you  from  taking  a  look  at  our  beloved  Dres- 
den, and  more  especially  that,  whilst  here,  you  did  not 
forget  to  honor  us  with  a  visit." 

"  It  is  more  than  likely  I  would,"  replied  Grerber, 
"  not  have  come  to  Dresden  at  all,  if  it  had  not  been 
for  your  husband." 

"  Not  so,  my  dear  friend,"  said  Spener,  "  save  me 
the  pain  of  that  of  which  I  am  daily  conscious — that  my 
friends  esteem  me  much  more  highly  than  I  deserve; 
and  do  not  increase  my  fears,  that  this  undeserved 
praise  may  be  fraught  with  evil  to  myself." 

*  Happy  is  he,  who  far  from  business  cares,  ploughs  paternal  fields 
with  his  own  oxen. 


I08  PIIILIPP  JACOB   SPENER. 

"Are  all  these  your  children?"  interrupted  the 
Baron,  who  in  the  meantime  had  engaged  himself  with 
that  portion  of  the  family. 

"All,"  replied  the  Doctor;  "and  yet  half  of  our 
children  are  absent.  Our  eldest  daughter,  Susannah 
Catharine,  was  married  something  more  than  two  years 
ago,  to  Professor  Dr.  Rechenberg,  in  Leipzig ;  the 
second  and  our  youngest,  (for  it  has  pleased  the  Lord 
to  leave  us  only  two  of  five  daughters,)  Elizabeth  Sybilla, 
has  been,  for  these  three  months,  the  wife  of  the 
Superintendent  Birnbaum,  in  Colditz.  My  eldest  son, 
John  Jacob,  is  studying  Physic  and  Mathematics,  in 
Leipzig ;  and  to  complete  the  list,  our  youngest  child, 
Ernst  Gottfried,  who,  to  the  joy  of  my  old  age,  was 
given  to  me  by  the  Lord  only  a  few  months  since,  is 
now  in  the  care  of  his  nurse,  inasmuch  as  my  wife 
Susannah,  the  truest  and  best  nurse  of  her  children, 
would  not  forego  the  pleasure  of  being  with  us  at 
table." 

"  I  have  already  noticed,"  said  the  Baron  smiling, 
"that  your  good  wife  stands  very  high  with  your  child- 
ren. Take  care  that  you  do  not  suffer  by  it!  But, 
pardon  my  curiosity,  dear  friend,  you  have  only  thus 
far  mentioned  your  absent  children ;  will  you  not  also 
introduce  me  to  those  present?  These  four  promise 
you  a  happy  old  age!  Have  you  yet  determined  on 
their  future  calling  ?" 

"  In  regard  to  this  one,  I  have,"  replied  the  Doctor, 
pointing  to  a  youth  of  eighteen,  who  bowed  politely 
to  the  Baron,  "  Philip  Lewis,  who " 

"  Pardon  me,  my  dear  husband,"  interrupted  the 
wife,  "you  are  mistaken;  Philip's  middle  name  is  not 
Lewis,  but  Reinhard." 


THE  ENTERTAINMENT.  IOq 

"Very  true,"  said  Spener,  laughing.  "You  women 
have,  in  such  matters  as  this,  a  far  better  memory 
than  we  men.  Well,  then,  this  Philip  Reinhard  has 
devoted  himself  to  the  medical  profession,  and  already 
prepares,"  he  added,  jestingly,  "pills  and  powders. 
A  similar  desire,  probably  from  fraternal  attachment, 
is  also  evinced  by  this  one,  Maximilian,  who  is  attend- 
ing the  high  school  in  this  place.  The  other  two, 
William  and  Jacob,  are  intended,  with  the  help  of 
God,  to  enter  the  church,  if  our  hopes  should  not  be 
disappointed.  However,  we  show  these  children  a 
great  deal  more  attention  than  they  deserve.  Come, 
gentlemen,  or  my  Susannah  will  chide  us  for  letting 
the  dinner  get  cold." 

Spener  now  took  off  his  skull-cap,  folded  his  hands, 
and  said,  "Let  us  pray!  Almighty  and  great  God, 
faithful  an"d  loving  Father !  Unto  Thee  would  we 
offer  our  humble  thanks  for  Thine  eternal  love.  Thou 
hast  in  all  things  dealt  most  fatherly  with  us.  Thou 
hast  provided  for  us,  both  in  spiritual  and  temporal 
things,  not  only  according  to  our  need,  but  bounti- 
fully, for  all  of  which  we  cannot  be  sufficiently  grateful. 
The  eyes  of  all  wait  upon  Thee,  and  Thou  givest  them 
their  meat  in  due  season.  Thou  openest  Thy  hand 
and  satisfieth  the  desire  of  Q.wQ.ry  living  thing !  Con- 
tinue to  give  us  our  daily  bread,  and  keep  us  ever  in 
mind,  that  we  are  utterly  unworthy  of  all  Thy  mercy 
and  faithfulness,  which  Thou  hast  shown  unto  us. 
Let  us  thankfully  receive  whatever  Thou  dost  send, 
meat  and  drink,  good  and  evil  days,  life  and  death ; 
and  teach  us  to  deal  our  bread  to  the  hungry,  and 
comfort  them,  even  as  Thou  dost  comfort  us,  through 
Thy  dear  Son,  our  Lord,  Jesus  Christ,    Amen." 


no  PIIILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

"It  seems,"  said  the  Baron,  after  having  seated  him- 
self opposite  the  clergyman,  and  to  the  right  of  the 
court-chaplain,  "it  seems  as  though  we  obtained  the 
proper  courage  to  receive  the  gifts  of  God,  for  the 
refreshing  and  satisfying  of  our  bodies,  only  after  hav- 
ing offered  a  hearty  prayer.  If  all  were,  at  all  times, 
as  much  concerned  that  their  petition,  'Give  us  this 
day  our  daily  bread,'  might  find  acceptance,  as  is  now 
the  case  with  us,  we  think  men  would  pray  oftener, 
and  learn,  too,  to  cherish  the  certain  hope,  that  every 
other  believing  and  Christian  prayer  will,  sooner  or 
later,  be  answered." 

"Very  true,"  replied  Spener.  "If,  however,  people 
complain  that  even  their  most  devout  prayers  fre- 
quently remain  entirely  unanswered,  it  is  because  they 
do  not  pay  sufficient  attention  to  how  the  good  God 
answers  them,  and  also  because  they  have,  at  the  time 
of  their  being  answered,  forgotten  what  they  had  pre- 
viously asked  of  Him.  I  mean,  there  is  no  such  thing 
as  an  unanswered  prayer,  if  men  would  only  always 
endeavor  to  know  the  will  of  God,  and  rightly  com- 
prehend the  Apostle's  declaration :  ^All  things  shall 
work  together  for  good,  unto  them  that  love  the  Lord.' 
For  then  every  new  cross  which  He  lays  upon  us,  will 
only  be,  in  answer  to  our  prayer,  a  removing  of  the 
old  one.  God  sends  an  answer  only  in  His  oiun  good 
time,  but  never  in  07irs ;  and,  if  you  have  no  objection, 
I  will  give  you,  from  my  own  history,  a  very  striking 
example." 

After  all,  and  especially  the  Baron,  had  expressed 
an  anxious  desire  that  he  would  do  so,  Spener,  whose 
bodily  wants  were  soon  satisfied,  thus  continued : 


THE  ENTERTAINMENT. 


in 


"It  was  about  the  year  '74  or  '75,  when  I  was  still 
at  Frankfurt,  that  I  met  one  evening,  whilst  taking  a 
solitary  walk,  a  peasant  by  the  name  of  Veit  Martin, 
as  I  afterwards  learned.  He  was  about  twenty  years 
my  senior.  We  walked  for  some  distance  in  company, 
and  he  told  me  how  it  had  hitherto  fared  with  him, 
and  this  was  dark  and  dreary  enough.  He  was  at  that 
time  very  poor,  with  little  or  no  prospect  of  ever  being 
anything  else.  But  he  alluded  to  this  in  a  spirit  of 
such  piety,  that  I  became  quite  interested  in  him,  and 
tendered  him  the  little  money  I  had  about  me.  He 
could  not,  however,  be  prevailed  upon  to  accept  of  it, 
but  said,  'As  long  as  it  should  please  God  to  preserve 
his  health  and  strength,  he  hoped  to  be  able  to  earn 
his  daily  bread,  especially  as  fortunately  it  did  not 
require  much  to  satisfy  his  wants.  Yet,  should  he  in 
time  become  too  old  and  frail  to  work,  he  had  the 
joyful  confidence  in  God,  that  He  would  surely  not 
forsake  him,  but  open  the  hearts  of  good  men  in  his 
behalf  With  this  he  left  me,  and  I  have  not  seen 
him  since.  But  I  have  never  forgotten  him ;  in  all  my 
prayers  I  remembered  him,  and  have  done  so  this 
very  morning.  Now,  about  two  weeks  ago,  a  member 
of  the  city  council  of  the  city  of  Frankfurt  called 
upon  me,  and,  after  having  related  to  me  many  things 
about  the  good  old  city,  where  the  grace  of  the  Lord 
enabled  me  to  preach  the  gospel  of  His  Son  for  twenty 
years,  he  also  mentioned  that  a  pious  woman,  who 
recently  died,  had  left  a  handsome  legacy  for  the  use 
of  the  poor,  at  the  same  time  appointing  the  Mayor 
executor  of  her  will.  Hereupon  so  many  had  pre- 
sented themselves,  that  they  were  altogether  at  a  loss 


112  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

how  to  make  the  sums  to  be  distributed  sufficiently- 
small,  and  yet  concerned  that  the  more  worthy  among 
them  should  receive  the  largest  share.  I  then  asked 
him  whether  he  could  give  me  the  names  of  some  of 
the  applicants,  when  the  first  he  mentioned  was  that  of 
Veit  Martin.  My  heart  leaped  for  joy  that  that  pious 
man  was  still  living.  *  Well,  ray  dear  sir,'  I  said  to 
the  gentleman,  '  if  you  will  allow  me  to  make  a 
request,  permit  me  to  speak  a  good  word  for  this 
Veit  Martin.'  And,  in  short,  the  noble  councilman 
promised  me  that  Veit  Martin  should  receive  the 
largest  portion." 

"  You  should  add,"  remarked  Mrs.  Spener,  "  that 
the  councilman  expressly  assured  you  that  he  con- 
ferred the  favor  on  the  poor  man,  only  for  your  sake." 

"  Not  for  my  sake,  dear  Susannah,"  replied  the  Doc- 
tor. "  God  preserve  me  from  ever  claiming  such  a 
merit  for  myself,  who  know  best  of  all  how  unworthy 
I  am  of  His  grace.  But  for  the  sake  of  my  fervent 
prayers  God  has  so  controlled  events,  that  I  can  thank 
Him  and  say :  'The  Lord  has  atistvered  my  prayer!  " 

"  You  are  surely  a  good  man,"  said  the  Baron,  as  he 
gave  the  court-chaplain  a  hearty  pressure  of  the  hand. 
"  Really,  when  one  hears  you  speak  thus — you,  whom 
thousands  in  the  land  bless  as  a  man  after  God's  own 
heart,  who  has  re-awakened  men  from  the  sleep  of 
dead  knowledge  and  a  proud  and  fruitless  security  of 
a  mere  faith  in  the  letter,  to  a  new  life  in  Christ ;  you 
who  can  justly  say,  •' I  believe,  therefore,  I  speak;' 
you " 

"I  pray  your  Excellency,"  interrupted  Spener,  with 
a  serious  smile,  "  do  not  speak  thus.     Could  you  only 


THE  ENTERTAINMENT.  U^ 

once  look  into  the  depth  of  my  heart,  you  would  find 
how  little  I  have  as  yet  apprehended,  notwithstanding 
I  may  say  that  I  have  been  apprehended  of  Christ. 
Yes,  my  noble  sir,  I  have  truly  a  delight  in  the  law  of 
the  Lord,  according  to  the  inner  man.  Thus  much  I 
venture  to  testify  concerning  myself;  yet  the  law  in 
my  members  is  bringing  me,  in  spite  of  my  fervent 
prayers,  far  too  often  into  captivity  to  the  law  of  sin, 
and  my  faith  stands  in  daily  need  of  the  assistance  of 
Him  who  strengtheneth  us.  For  if  I  compare  what  I 
am,  with  what  I  should  and  might  be,  I  can  really  not 
comprehend  what  others  find  in  me  that  is  so  worthy 
of  praise." 

"  Worthy  of  praise  ?"  exclaimed  the  Baron.  "  If  I 
could  only  do  it,  I  scarcely  know  what  to  mention  first. 
I  shall  never  forget  how  you  in  Frankfurt — it  may  be 
about  six  years  ago — first  won  the  Elector  by  the 
power  of  your  preaching ;  a  man  who  partly  through 
the  influence  of  most  of  his  courtiers,  and  partly  on 
account  of  the  warlike  times  in  which  we  lived,  was 
not  so  very  fond  of  the  Word  of  God.  And  when,  a 
short  time  after,  I  had  occasion  to  propose  to  you  to 
come  here,  a  voice  within  me  said  :  '  This  man  goes  a 
blessing mto  your  Fatherland.'" 

Spener  blushed  at  these  words,  and  cast  down  his 
eyes,  as  if  ashamed  to  meet  the  gaze  of  any  one ;  and 
laying  down  his  knife  and  fork,  clasped  his  hands  and 
said :  "  Noble  sir,  the  blessing  does  not  come  with  the 
outward  man,  but  only  with  the  divine  Spirit  tvithin  us, 
and  also  comes  only  to  those  who,  led  by  the  Spirit  of 
God,  learn  to  understand  the  word  in  Christ :  '  We  are 
the  children  of  God  !'     The  Lord  has  sent  me  to  Dres- 


1 14  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

den !  And  if  my  labors  here  are  really  attended  with 
a  blessing,  it  comes  solely  from  Him.  His  be  the 
glory  for  evermore  !"  . 

"  Reverend  Doctor,"  now  began  Mr.  Gerber,  after  a 
short  pause.  "  I  must  ask  a  favor  of  you.  You  say, 
God  has  sent  you  to  Dresden !  I  have  already  been 
made  familiar  with  some  things  in  reference  to  this 
fact;  but  if  you  would  relate  to  us  in  full  how  it  was 
brought  about,  you  would  greatly  oblige  us." 

"  Most  willingly,"  replied  Spener,  as  Seckendorf 
joined  in  the  request.  "  My  good  wife  will,  however, 
have  to  assist  me ;  at  least,  she  had  also  considerable 
to  do  with  it."  And,  whilst  all  forgot  their  eating  and 
drinking,  and  even  the  eldest  sons  manifested  the 
closest  attention,  the  court-chaplain  thus  began,  as  he 
turned  to  the  Baron: 

"  Your  Excellency  well  knows,  how  I,  with  due 
respect  and  gratitude,  declined  the  first  call.  I  found 
it  difficult  to  imagine  that  the  Lord,  who  knows  my 
incompetency,  should  have  called  me  to  such  an  ex- 
alted and  important  position,  for  which  He  had  not 
fitted  me.  A  short  time  after,  it  pleased  the  Lord  to 
send  me  a  very  severe  sickness,  which  prostrated  me 
to  such  a  degree  that  I  thought  the  hour  of  my 
redemption  had  drawn  nigh." 

"I  remember  it  as  well  as  if  it  had  occurred  only 
to-day,"  joined  in  the  wife.  "You  had  just,  dear 
Philipp,  finished  your  sermon  for  the  following  Lord's 
day,  when  you  called  me  to  you.  You  said  you  had 
suddenly  been  overcome  by  great  weakness,  and  would, 
therefore,  not  have  sufficient  strength  to  occupy  your 
pulpit.     And  so,  also,  unfortunately,  it  proved.     You 


THE  ENTERTAINMENT. 


115 


were  obliged  to  betake  yourself  to  your  bed,  where 
you  were  kept  confined  for  thirty  weeks.  Alas,  that 
was  a  sorrowful  time  for  us  all.  All  the  medicines  you 
took  produced  no  effect,  and  we  at  last  began  to  believe 
that  you  would  die." 

"But  what  was  it,"  asked  the  Baron,  addressing 
Spener,  "  that  so  suddenly  prostrated  your  strength  ?" 

"  I  can  scarcely  say,"  replied  he.  "  It  could  not 
have  been  the  weakness  of  old  age ;  for  I  numbered, 
at  that  time,  only  fifty  years.  Much  less  could  it  have 
resulted  from  the  effects  of  over-exertion  in  the  per- 
formance of  my  labors,  for  I  have  never  felt  any  fatigue 
from  them.  But  the  cares  of  my  pastoral  office,  to 
which  I  can  devote  myself  only  very  imperfectly, 
anguish  of  conscience,  on  account  of  the  great  respon- 
sibility resting  upon  me,  in  regard  to  the  many  souls 
confided  to  my  keeping;  the  mournful  experience  that 
the  desirable  fruits  of  repentance  cannot  always,  or  at 
least  only  very  seldom,  be  produced ;  add  to  this  the 
consciousness  that,  with  greater  energy,  and  with  a 
little  more  pains  and  application,  much  more  might 
have  been  achieved ;  and  to  crown  all,  I  do  not  deny  it, 
my  anxious  fears  about  the  Church  of  Christ,  together 
with  the  intelligence  I  received,  during  my  sickness,  of 
the  abolition  of  the  edict  of  Nantes, — all  these  may  have 
caused  a  prostration  of  my  physical  ■  strength,  and  re- 
tarded my  recovery.  Though  I  spent,  during  this 
trying  period,  many  days  and  nights  in  prayer,  the 
Lord  did  not  even  at  last  send  me  an  answer  for  my 
own  sake,  but  for  the  sake  of  my  dear  people  in  Frank- 
furt, whose  fervent  intercessions,  in  my  behalf,  had 
found  acceptance  in  the  sight  of  God.     After  a  con- 


Il6  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

finement  of  about  seven  months,  I  again  arose  with 
renewed  vigor  and  encouragement." 

"  And,"  added  the  wife,  "  you  must  not  forget  to 
mention  that  the  spring  at  Ems  completed  your 
restoration  to  health." 

"But  just  at  that  very  time,"  resumed  Spenek, 
"  when  I  considered  my  departure  out  of  this  world 
most  imminent,  it  pleased  the  Lord  to  assure  me,  in 
several  dreams,  that  He  would  spare  my  life  yet  awhile 
longer.  These  were,  so  far  as  I  can  remember,  my  first 
and  my  last  dreams ;  for  God  has  ever  blessed  me  with 
exceedingly  quiet  and  sound  sleep.  During  one  night 
I  dreamed  that  I  was  passing  out  of  my  chamber  into 
the  one  adjoining,  to  look  after  my  sick  son,  little  Jacob. 
On  entering  the  chamber,  I  immediately  noticed  another 
door,  from  which  a  broad  stairway  led  upward,  where  I 
beheld'  many  splendid  and  elegant  rooms,  and,  farther 
on,  a  bright  light.  Just  as  I  was  in  the  act  of  ascending 
to  these  wonderful  apartments,  I  heard  a  voice  calling 
to  me,  '  Stay  where  you  are  ;  you  are  not  yet  permitted  to 
enter  there!  I  replied,  '  Only  permit  me  but  to  ascend 
that  I  may  see  that  beautiful  light  more  distinctly;'  and, 
after  I  had  said  this,  such  a  brilliant  glare  burst  upon 
my  eyes,  that  I  awoke.  'What  is  the  meaning  of  this?' 
I  said  to  myself  And  then  I  thought,  '  Perhaps  you 
are  not  yet  to  go  up,  to  walk  in  the  light,'  and  soon 
again  fell  asleep.  But  God  designed  to  reveal  His  will 
still  further  to  me.  I  then  dreamed  that  I  was  lying  on 
a  bed  upon  a  very  high  mountain.  Above  me  was  the 
beautiful  blue  sky,  so  clear  and  pellucid,  that  it  seemed 
as  though  I  could  penetrate  to  the  very  glory  of  the 


THE  ENTERTAINMENT. 


117 


Lord;  but,  far  beneath  me,  deep  down  steep  precipices, 
stretched  out  a  beautiful,  splendidly  cultivated  country; 
fields,  meadows  and  human  habitations,  in  countless 
numbers,  'Alas!'  I  said  to  myself,  'must  I  then  stay 
up  here,  so  entirely  alone?  How  is  it  possible  for  me 
to  get  down  to  these  people?'  And  then  again  I  heard 
a  voice,  saying  to  me,  '  A  soft  wind  will  come  and 
carry  you  down,'  and  presently  I  felt  my  bed  raised 
up  and  moving  slowly  down  with  me.  And  when  I 
thought  myself  near  the  people,  my  eyes  caught  the 
summit  of  a  high  mountain,  around  which  dark  clouds 
were  rolling  up  one  upon  another,  whilst  above  and 
beyond  these,  the  same  brightness  again  burst  upon 
my  view,  and  I  awoke  from  my  dream  a  second  time. 
Then  I  understood  the  Lord — I  was  not  yet  worthy  to 
behold  Him  in  His  light,  and  should  still  abide  on  the 
earth.  A  month  after  this,  His  Electoral  Highness 
sent  me  a  second  call  to  this  place.  Now,  though,  I 
could  at  once  have  regarded  this  call  as  coming  from 
the  Lord,  inasmuch  as  I  had  received  it  without  my 
seeking ;  yea,  even  against  my  wish  and  will,  I  had, 
nevertheless,  not  the  courage  immediately  to  follow  it, 
a  sense  of  my  incompetency  still  holding  me  back.  I 
looked  upon  the  position  offered  me  as  an  exceedingly 
difficult  one,  which  would  burden  my  conscience  with 
great  fear  before  God.  But  now  I  see  it  all.  God  has 
brought  me  hither,  not  to  exalt,  but  rather  to  humble 
me." 

Here  the  narrator  paused,  whilst  pouring  a  little 
wine  into  a  tumbler  partly  filled  with  water,  with  which 
he  evidently  refreshed  himself  A  deep  silence  pre- 
vailed among  the  company,  who  had  long  since  ceased 


Il3  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

their  eating,  and  gazed  fixedly  at  the  speaker.  No 
one,  not  even  the  Baron,  ventured  to  request  him  to 
resume  his  narrative;  for  all  noticed,  that,  in  his 
inmost  soul,  he  was  living  over  again  the  entire  occur- 
rence. However,  after  a  pause,  he,  of  his  own  accord, 
continued  thus  : 

"  Since  I  could  not  within  myself  arrive  at  a  con- 
clusion, I  submitted  the  whole  matter  to  the  noble 
council  of  the  city  of  Frankfurt,  with  the  request,  to 
give  me  their  advice.  But  those  dear  good  gentlemen 
declined,  and  now — " 

"  You  forget,  my  dear  husband,"  the  wife  exclaimed, 
"that  the  council,  nevertheless,  sent  you  a  distinct 
answer.  They  informed  you,  that,  if  you  felt  a  con- 
viction that  the  call  which  had  been  tendered  you 
came  from  the  Lord,  they  could  not  have  the  courage, 
but  rather  regard  it  sinful  to  oppose  it.  But  if,  on  the 
other  hand,  it  depended  upon  their  wish,  they  would 
never  permit  you  to  leave  Frankfurt;  for  a  man  like 
you,  they  said,  was  needed  at  all  times." 

Spener  cast  upon  his  wife  an  earnest,  almost 
reproachful  look,  as  if  he  was  far  from  being  pleased 
with  her  for  having  related  this  circumstance,  and 
then  replied,  "You  know  well,  Susannah,  that  I  could 
not  altogether  see  my  way  clear  as  to  whether  that 
call  came  really  from  God.  No  alternative  was,  there- 
fore, left  me,  amid  these  my  conscientious  doubts  and 
fears,  than  to  submit  the  subject,  with  the  consent  of 
the  city  council,  to  five  of  my  beloved  brethren  in  the 
ministry,  for  decision.  None  of  them  knew  of  the 
others  having  been  called  upon  for  their  opinion,  nor 
were  they  to  know  it,  so  that  each  might  be  the  more 


THE  ENTERTAINMENT.  I  ig 

free  and  untrammelled  in  commimin<j  with  God.  As  I 
knew  all  of  them  to  be  honest  and  godly  men,  who 
were  just  as  anxiously  concerned  for  the  best  interests 
of  the  Church  as  I  was,  and  as  we,  moreover,  cherished 
the  sincerest  fraternal  love  for  one  another,  I  enter- 
tained the  hope,  that  every  one  among  them  would 
advise  me,  only  after  the  most  earnest  and  prayerful 
deliberation,  either  to  remain  in  Frankfurt  or  to  go  to 
Dresden.  And  here  you  may  see  how  wonderful  the 
Lord  is  in  counsel.  My  brethren  were  unanimous  in 
their  several  conclusions,  though  each  without  the 
others'  knowledge,  that  my  call  was  from  God,  and 
that  I  was  consequently,  in  duty  bound  to  follow  it, 
which,  as  you  all  know,  I  did." 

The  Baron,  with  a  sad  smile  said,  as  Spener 
here  paused :  "  Reverend  and  excellent  friend,  what 
would  the  world  be,  if  every  man,  yea,  if  only  every 
minister  of  the  gospel,  were  like  you?  How  many 
others,  whom  I  could  easily  name,  would  not  have 
delayed  their  answer  as  long  as  you  did!  They  would 
have  looked  much  more  to  the  splendor  and  honors 
that  awaited  them,  and  the  large  salary  offered,  than 
to  their  capacity  and  the  Divine  call." 

Spener  replied,  "  The  Church  of  Christ  would  be  in 
a  sad  condition,  indeed,  if  your  apprehension  were  in 
general  well  founded.  I  think  that  a  minister  of  the 
Word  of  God  should  never  personally  interest  himself 
in  seeking  a  situation,  but  wait  until  a  Divine  call  is 
extended  to  him,  either  in  one  way  or  another.  Noth- 
ing but  the  consciousness  of  having  been  called  of 
God  to  a  charge  imparts  to  us  genuine  freedom  and 
cheerfulness  in  action.     I  have,  therefore,  never  sought 


120  PHIL  IP P  JACOB    SPENER. 

any  of  the  situations  which  I  have  hitherto  occupied. 
Had  I,  however,  at  that  time  (to  bring  my  narrative  to 
a  close,)  still  entertained  a  doubt,  whether  or  not  the 
decision  at  which  my  dear  ministerial  brethren  had 
arrived  was  the  correct  one,  I  might  soon  afterwards 
have  become  still  further  convinced  from  the  Word 
of  God  itself,  that  it  was  His  will;  for,  on  the  day 
after  his  Electoral  Highness  had,  in  pursuance  of  my 
declaration,  that  I  was  perfectly  willing  to  obey  his 
commands,  despatched  to  me  a  solemn  call,  accom- 
panied by  a  passport,  and  even  a  kind  invitation  from 
the  high  consistory — on  the  very  next  day  a  wonder- 
ful revelation  from  the  Lord  took  place.  On  entering 
the  room  occupied  by  my  family,  I  found  my  oldest 
daughter,  the  same  who  is  now  married  in  Leipzig, 
entirely  alone,  and  occupied  with  the  sacred  Scripture. 
Now,  it  happens  that  my  children  are  accustomed  to 
open  the  sacred  volume  at  times,  for  the  purpose  of 
seeing  what  particular  verse  just  falls  under  their 
finger,  with  a  view  to  apply  it  to  cimrnt  events. 
I  am  well  aware  that  this  is  also  sometimes  done 
by  ignorant  people,  with  the  view  of  finding  out 
future  events;  but  my  children  are  only  permitted 
to  do  this  by  way  of  encouragement  in  their  efforts 
to  acquaint  themselves  with  the  Word  of  God,  that 
they  may  more  seriously  take  to  heart  the  passages 
which  are  in  this  way  brought  to  their  immediate 
notice.  The  copy  which  my  daughter  Catherine  had 
just  then  before  her,  was  the  small  Liineburg  edition 
of  the  New  Testament.  She  said  she  would,  just  for 
once,  open  a  verse  for  me,  and  that  with  special  refer- 
ence to   my   prospective    removal    to   Dresden.     And 


THE  ENTERTAINMENT.  I2i 

when  she  had  done  so,  she  showed  me  the  passage, 
which  was  in  the  seventh  chapter  of  the  Acts,  and,  as 
I  looked,  the  verse  that  met  my  eye  was  the  third, 
where  we  read — however,  Jacob,  you  may  read  it  to 
us." 

And  the  boy  arose  cheerfully  from  the  table,  took 
up  the  Bible,  and  readily  turned  to  the  verse  in  ques- 
tion. 

"  Come  here,  my  son,"  exclaimed  the  Baron,  and, 
having  placed  him  between  himself  and  his  father,  the 
boy  read  as  follows : 

"  And  said  unto  him,  Get  thee  out  of  thy  country 
and  from  thy  kindred,  and  come  into  the  land  which  I 
shall  show  thee." 

"  Wonderful !"  exclaimed  the  Baron,  at  the  same 
time  looking  musingly  upon  the  sacred  book. 

"  Wonderful,  indeed,  my  noble  sir,"  said  Spener. 
"  I  was  not  a  little  astonished  when  I  read  it ;  for,  were 
we  to  search  the  Scriptures  through  with  all  diligence, 
no  passage  more  directly  indicating  that  God  wanted 
me  to  go,  could  possibly  be  found  than  this.  And,  as 
I  then  turned  to  the  right,  the  tenth  verse  met  my 
eye " 

And  the  boy,  without  being  particularly  requested, 
read : 

"And  delivered  him  out  of  all  his  afflictions,  and 
gave  him  favor  and  wisdom  in  the  sight  of  Pharaoh, 
king  of  Egypt,  and  he  made " 

"  That  will  do,  my  son,"  said  Spener,  interrupting 
the  juvenile  reader.  "What  follows  was  not  written 
for  me." 

"And  yet  what  does  follow?"  asked  Seckendorf. 
6 


122  PHILIP P  JACOB  SPENER. 

Jacob  looked  inquiringly  at  his  father ;  but  when  he 
saw  him  shaking  his  head,  he,  in  silent  obedience, 
closed  the  book.  However,  Mr.  Gerber  supplied  the 
remainder  of  the  passage  from  memory,  and  said  : 

"  And  he  made  him  governor  over  Egypt  and  all 
his  house." 

"  Perfectly  right,"  exclaimed  Seckendorf  "  Have 
you  not  been  appointed  spiritual  governor  over  the 
whole  of  Electoral  Saxony  ?  Are  you  not  the  spiritual 
adviser  of  the  entire  Electoral  house?"  But  when  the 
baron  noticed  how  painfully  this  application  of  the  pas- 
sage affected  the  court-chaplain,  he  continued,  "  I  ac- 
knowledge, my  heart  is  filled  with  adoration  of  the 
power  of  God.  But  tell  me,  my  dear  friend,  is  it  your 
opinion  that  the  will  of  God  may  always  be  recog- 
nized in  this  manner  ?  or  may  it  not  lead  to  many 
superstitious  and  dangerous  misinterpretations?" 

"  Certainly  not  always,"  replied  Spener,  "  for  the 
reason,  that  our  hearts  are  not  always  worthily  pre- 
pared for  understanding  the  counsel  of  the  Lord,  and 
ignorance  and  worldly-mindedness  may,  therefore,  fre- 
quently sadly  and  sinfully  abuse  the  Word  of  God  in 
the  Scriptures.  Yet,  when  I  reflect  how  wonderful  the 
Lord  is  in  counsel,  and  how  excellent  in  working; 
when  I  feci  convinced  that,  Jn  the  moral  training  of 
man,  nothing,  not  even  the  very  least,  happens  by 
chance,  but  all,  all  by  the  direction  of  our  all-wise 
Father,  I  cannot  regard  such  like  observations  as 
superstitious,  though  I  myself  search  for  and  find  the 
excellent  working  of  God  more  in  the  manner  of  lioiv 
it  lays  hold  of,  affects  and  comforts  our  hearts.  More- 
over, the  sacred  volume  possesses  such  wonderful  effi- 


THE  ENTERTAINMENT.  12^ 

cacy,  that  it  scarcely  presents  a  passage  which  does 
not  afford  admonition  and  instruction,  consolation  and 
peace,  at  one  and  the  same  time,  to  every  heart  zvilling 
to  understand." 

"  We  must,  of  course,  depend  upon  a  right  under- 
standing," remarked  the  Baron. 

"And  the  solemn  frame  of  our  hearts,"  added  Mr. 
Gerber;  "without  this  the  Word  of  God  passes  by 
and  leaves  no  trace  behind." 

"Both  are  necessary,"  continued  Spener;  "and  to 
these  two  a  third  must  yet  be  added — namely,  an  entire 
submission  of  our  own  will  to  the  will  of  God.  He 
who  searches  in  the  Bible  for  that  which  he  before 
called  his  own,  and  which  he  loved  as  his  own,  will 
never  fail  in  finding  it.  Hence  both  good  and  evil, 
both  that  which  is  Christian  and  unchristian,  has  been 
defended  by  an  appeal  to  the  holy  Scriptures.  But  the 
Lord  says, '  Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart,  for  they  shall 
see  God ;'  which  means  here,  blessed  are  those  who 
search  the  Scriptures  free  from  the  lusts  and  wisdom 
of  the  world ;  they  only  shall  find  therein  the  revealed 
will  of  God." 

Here  ensued  a  deep  silence,  Gerber  regarding  the 
pious  man  with  visible  marks  of  the  deepest  reverence. 
The  amanuensis,  Master  Rothner,  who,  having  been 
unavoidably  detained,  had  only  lately  joined  them  at 
table,  sat  as  if  entranced,  and  with  his  eyes  so  intently 
fixed  upon  Spener's  lips,  as  if  determined  that  not  one 
word  should  escape  him.  Seckendorf  had  laid  his 
hands  upon  the  head  of  the  boy,  who  still  continued 
to  stand  beside  him,  and,  wrapped  in  deep  thought, 
gazed  upon  the  Bible  before  him.     Then,  as  if  speak- 


124  PHIL  IP  P  JACOB  SPENER. 

ing  to  himself,  he  repeated  in  a  low  voice,  the  words 
of  Scripture,  "  '  and  delivered  him  out  of  all  his  afflic- 
tions' Tell  me,  my  friend,  has  this  too  been  realized 
in  your  case  ?" 

"Yes,  truly,"  replied  Spener,  "Alas,  the  Church  of 
Christ  was  then  in  a  sad  condition,  which  has  not  been 
materially  improved  since.  What  at  that  time  was 
happening  along  the  Rhine,  where  the  Evangelical 
Christians  were  driven  from  hearth  and  home  by  a 
rude  and  dissolute  soldiery,  who  committed  murder 
and  arson  everywhere,  together  with  the  fact  that  the 
majority  of  the  Evangelical  clergy  found  godliness 
merely  in  faith  in  the  dead  letter;  this  and  much  more 
had  ever  weighed  heavily  upon  my  heart.  And  so  it 
happened  that  I,  on  a  certain  Sunday  afternoon,  was  on 
my  way  to  church,  to  superintend  the  prayer-meeting. 
Deep  sorrow  filled  my  heart  as  I  reflected  on  the 
troubled  and  distressed  condition  of  Christ's  Church  on 
earth,  and  I  silently  asked  the  Lord,  'Wilt  thou  not 
soon  pity  us  as  a  father  pitieth  his  children?'  And  as 
I,  with  these  words  in  my  mind,  entered  the  church,  I 
heard  the  choir  sing  the  fourth  verse  of  that  beautiful 
hymn,  '  Oh,  God,  look  down  from  heaven,  we  pray,' 
which  Luther  composed  after  the  second  Psalm,  and 
which  reads: 

"  God,  therefore,  saith,  '  I  will  arise, 

My  poor  they  do  oppress. 
I  see  their  tears,  I  hear  their  cries; 

Their  wrongs  shall  have  redress. 
My  healing  word  shall  now  appear; 
The  proud  shall  think  its  truths  severe, 

But  it  shall  save  the  liumble.' " 

"If  I  mistake  not,"  said  the  baron,  "  I  think  I  heard 


THE   ENTERTAINMENT. 


125 


the  choir  sing  this  same  beautiful  hymn  a  little  while 
ago,  before  your  house." 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  court-chaplain.  "  This  was  done 
agreeably  to  my  wish.  For  these  words  entered  at 
that  time  so  deeply  into  my  sorrowing  soul,  that  it 
appeared  to  me  as  if  dark  night  had  suddenly  been 
changed  into  a  bright  day  of  sunshine.  I  can  say,  in 
truth,  that  never  in  all  my  life  had  words  fallen  upon 
my  ears,  which  seemed  so  little  like  any  uttered  by 
human  voices  as  these — and  I  accepted  them  forthwith, 
with  great  inward  satisfaction,  as  God's  answer  to  my 
complaint.  This  hymn  was  also  destined  to  become 
my  favorite  hymn  of  consolation ;  for  when,  later,  as  I 
was  on  my  way  to  this  place,  I  reached  the  Saxon 
frontier,  a  choir  composed  of  school-children  appeared 
around  my  carriage,  and,  strangely  enough,  repeated 
the  same  hymn;  and  thus  it  became  so  very  dear  to  me, 
that  I  get  our  school-children  to  sing  it  for  me  weekly. 
Therefore,  my  noble  and  dear  sir,  I  can  truly  say,  the 
Lord  has  delivered  me  out  of  all  my  afflictions." 

Just  as  Spener  had  concluded,  a  voice  was  heard  in 
the  ante-chamber.  Rothner  hastened  out,  and  after  a 
few  minutes  returned  with  an  exceedingly  perturbed 
manner. 

"What  has  happened.  Master  Rothner?"  asked  the 
court-chaplain,  with  a  somewhat  troubled  look ;  for 
Spener  was  naturally  very  timid  and  easily  alarmed. 

"His  Electoral  Highness,"  replied  the  amanuensis, 
"desires  to  see  you  at  the  castle  in  the  course  of  an 
hour." 

Spener  rose  at  once  from  his  chair,  not  without 
signs  of  disagreeable  surprise.  "What  can  he  mean?" 
he  exclaimed.     "Who  was  the  messensrer?" 


126  nilLlPP    JACOB   SPENER. 

"  Hear  von  Langendorf,"  reported  Rothner.  "  He 
took  his  leave  immediately  upon  hearing  that  his 
Excellency,  Baron  Seckendorf,  was  here,  and,  upon 
the  whole,  did  not  look  very  pleasant." 

"Alas!"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Spener,  "what  does  all  this 
mean?  Can  it  be  that  his  Electoral  Highness  has 
anything  against  you,  dear  Philipp  ?" 

"  Compose  yourself,  my  good  wife,"  said  the  court- 
chaplain,  though  he  was  far  from  feeling  easy  in  his 
own  mind.  "  I  am  not  conscious  of  having  done  any- 
thing wrong,  except  it  be  in  that  I  have  not  done 
enough  of  good." 

"  Herr  von  Langendorf?"  asked  Seckendorf,  with  a 
smile,  after  Spener  had  again  resumed  his  seat, 
"  does,  in  all  probability,  not  belong  to  the  flock  to 
whose  wants  you  minister,  my  dear  friend?  I  already 
know  him  full  well  as  a  child  of  the  world;  and  it  is 
much  to  be  regretted  that  there  are  many  more  like 
him  near  the  person  of  his  Electoral  Highness." 

"And  yet,"  remarked  Mr.  Gerber,  "there  may  be 
now  more  piously-inclined  courtiers  than  could  be 
found  thirty  or  forty  years  ago,  during  the  time  of  the 
Doctor's  predecessor,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Jacob  Weller." 

"Have  you  any  particular  evidence  of  this  fact?" 
inquired  Seckendorf. 

"  The  wife  of  Dr.  Starke  in  Freiberg,  who  was  the 
daughter  of  the  sainted  court-chaplain.  Dr.  Weller, 
related  to  me  a  singular  incident  which  occurred 
between  her  father  and  his  Electoral  Highness,  John 
George  H.,  of  blessed  memory," 

"Tell  it,  my  dear  brother!"  exclaimed  Spener,  with 
every  mark  of  excited  attention.  "  Your  memory  may 
perhaps  serve  you." 


THE    ENTERTAINMENT. 


127 


"  It  may  have  been  in  consequence  of  the  thirty 
years'war,"  began  Mr.  Gerber,  "  that  true  godHness  had 
suffered  shipwreck  among  both  high  and  low,  and  that 
an  exceedingly  worldly  life  was  being  led,  especially 
at  the  courts  of  kings  and  princes — so  much  so,  that 
in  many  places,  for  instance,  a  particular  honor  was 
attached  to  a  man's  being  able  to  imbibe  the  greatest 
possible  quantity  of  wine.  Such  a  mode  of  life  did 
not,  of  course,  accord  with  the  penitential  sermons 
which  Dr.  Weller  was  in  the  habit  of  preaching;  and 
the  courtiers  especially  exhibited  great  enmity  against 
him,  wherever  they  could,  so  that  he  was  obliged  to 
suffer  a  great  deal  of  inconvenience  and  vexation. 
Yea,  some  of  them,  like  Haman  of  old,  sought  to  heap 
calumny  upon  the  dear  and  faithful  servant  of  Christ, 
so  as  to  injure  him  with  the.  Elector — and  that,  too, 
not  without  the  desired  result.  For  it  became  soon 
noised  abroad  that  the  Elector  had  really  exhibited 
some  signs  of  ungraciousness  towards  the  court-chap- 
lain, on  which  account  the  latter  felt  naturally  much 
grieved.  Now  it  so  happened  that  his  call  contained 
a  clause  to  the  effect  that  he  should,  as  the  Elector's 
confessor,  enjoy  the  privilege  of  visiting  his  gracious 
Master  unannoimced.  He  therefore  communed  with 
his  God,  and  prayed  with  his  wife  and  children ;  and 
then,  putting  his  call  into  his  pocket,  went  straightway 
to  the  castle.  Having  arrived  in  the  ante-chamber,  he 
was  at  once  admitted  to  the  Elector's  private  cabinet. 
He  looked  surprised  at  his  confessor's  unexpected  visit. 
But  Dr.  Weller,  after  offering  the  usual  salutation,  and 
paying  his  proper  respects,  asked  '  whether  his  Electoral 
Highness  was  satisfied  with  him  in  the  discharge  of  the 


128  PHIL  IP  P   JACOB   SPENER. 

duties  of  his  office  ?'  The  Elector  replied,  '  Yes !  only  he 
wished  the  court-chaplain  would  not  declaim  so  con- 
stantly and  severely  against  drunkenness;  for,  at  court, 
where  so  many  and  diverse  people  were  congregated, 
things  could  not  always  be  conducted  just  as  he  wished, 
and  he  only  made  himself  enemies  among  the  courtiers 
with  his  too  earnest  zeal'  Dr.  Weller  replied,  '  If  God 
only  is  my  friend,  the  ill-will  of  all  the  courtiers — yea, 
even  that  of  the  Elector  himself,  cannot  harm  me  ;' 
and  appealed  to  Ezekiel  xxxiii.,  where  the  Lord  says, 
*So  then,  O  son  of  man,  I  have  set  thee  a  watchman 
over  the  house  of  Israel;  therefore  thou  shalt  hear  the 
word  of  my  mouth,  and  warn  them  from  me ;  if  thou 
dost  not  speak  to  warn  the  wicked  from  his  way,  that 
wicked  man  shall  die  in  his  iniquity,  but  his  blood  will 
I  require  at  tliy  hand.'  One  of  the  ministers  present 
was  highly  offended  at  the  plain  dealing  and  boldness 
of  the  confessor,  and  endeavored  to  prejudice  the 
Elector  against  him.  When  Dr.  Weller  perceived  that 
his  Highness  seemed  inclined  to  listen  to  the  insinua- 
tions of  his  minister,  he  took  his  call  from  his  pocket, 
laid  it  upon  the  table,  and  said,  'In  this  document  it  is 
written  that  I  shall  faithfully  discharge  the  duties  of 
my  office,  watch  over  and  care  for  the  precious  souls 
of  his  Electoral  Highness  and  those  belonging  to  him, 
and  neglect  nothing  that  may  be  necessary  to  their 
benefit  and  salvation.  This  I  have  hitherto  honestly 
endeavored  to  do,  and  intend  to  do  in  future.  If  I  am, 
however,  to  be  restrained  from  this,  I  can  no  longer, 
with  a  clear  conscience,  retain  my  office,  and  therefore 
pray  humbly  that  your  Electoral  Highness  will  take 
back  this  call,  and  thus  graciously  release  me  from  the 
further  discharge  of  the  duties  of  my  office.'  " 


THE   ENTERTAINMENT.  j2o 

As  the  narrator  here  came  to  a  short  pause,  and  the 
most  profound  silence  reigned  throughout  the  room, 
all  eyes  were  turned  on  Spener,  who  sat  immovable, 
with  his  head  somewhat  bowed  on  his  breast.  At 
length  he  looked  at  Mr.  Gerber,  and  asked,  "  And 
what  was  His  Electoral  Highness'  answer  ?" 

"The  Elector,"  Mr.  Gerber  continued,  "returned 
such  an  answer  as  can  only  proceed  from  a  pious 
prince.  '  Dr.  Weller,'  he  said,  'you  are  an  honest  and 
conscientious  pastor,  and  mean  it  better  with  us  than 
do  all  of  our  courtiers.  Only  continue  to  preach,  as 
your  office  requires  it.  We  have  certainly  gone  too 
far.  We  cannot  justify  ourselves,  and  therefore  deserve 
reproof  and  correction.  Now  you  may  go,  dear 
Doctor,  with  the  assurance  that  we  are  favorably  dis- 
posed toward  you." 

"  What  a  pious,  genuine  Christian,  true  princely 
bearing!"  exclaimed  Spener.  "Blessed  art  thou,  O 
land,  when  thy  king  is  the  son  of  nobles !" 

"  You  have,"  added  the  Baron,  turning  to  Gerber, 
"  given  us  a  very  correct  statement.  For  all  did  really 
transpire  just  as  you  have  related." 

"  And,"  continued  Gerber,  "  in  this  respect  the  son 
is  like  the  father.  It  is  well-known  that  our  present 
beloved  Elector  is  by  no  means  sensitive,  but,  on 
the  contrary,  very  tolerant;  and  that  he  is  neither 
inclined  to  sudden  outbursts  of  anger  nor  revenge,  I 
had  full  opportunity  to  learn  only  last  autumn,  whilst 
he  was  engaged  in  a  general  hunting  expedition,  near 
Schonberg,  on  which  occasion  he  sojourned  two  weeks 
at  the  castle  of  that  place.  His  Electoral  Highness 
frequently  sent  for  and  engaged  with  me  in  devout 
6* 


130  PHILIPP   JACOB   SPENER. 

and  edifying  conversation.  And,  though  some  matters 
would  now  and  then  go  contrary  to  his  orders  and 
arrangements,  he,  nevertheless,  continued  always  kind 
and  gracious." 

"  You  have  forgotten,  dear  brother,"  here  interposed 
Spener,  who  appeared  to  be  absorbed  in  the  self- 
sought  audience  of  his  predecessor,  and  to  have  over- 
heard his  estimate  of  George  III.,  "you  have  forgotten 
to  tell  us  how,  after  this,  the  courtiers  conducted  them- 
selves towards  Dr.  Weller." 

"The  courtiers,"  replied  Gerber,  "stood  from  that 
hour  in  great  fear  of  him,  and  were  awed  into  silence, 
so  that  they  did  not  venture  again  to  calumniate  him 
to  the  Elector.  And  in  addition  to  this,  he  continued 
to  enjoy  the  gracious  favor  of  His  Highness  to  the  day 
of  his  blessed  death,  which  happened  on  July  6,  1664." 

"  You  have,"  said  Seckendorf  to  Gerber,  "  recalled 
to  my  recollection  a  period  in  the  events  of  which  I 
was  often  forced  to  take  an  active  part.  John  George 
II.,  who  esteemed  me  worthy  of  his  special  confidence, 
was,  on  the  whole,  a  pious  prince.  He  had  caused  an 
edition  of  the  Bible  to  be  printed  for  himself,  in  quarto 
form,  upon  fine  paper,  with  beautiful  large  type.  This 
he  used  for  his  daily  devotional  readings,  and  also 
distributed  many  copies  among  his  courtiers.  It  was 
also  his  custom  to  present  a  richly-bound  copy  to 
every  ambassador  upon  his  departure  from  court. 
I  remember,  in  connection  with  this,  a  most  beautiful 
incident.  It  happened  that  one  of  the  imperial  ambas- 
sadors was  on  a  certain  occasion,  taking  leave  of  the 
Elector,  when  he  presented  him  with  a  precious 
diamond  instead  of  a  Bible,  because  he  thought  that  the 


THE  ENTERTAINMENT. 


131 


ambassador,  being  a  Roman  Catholic,  was  not  per- 
mitted to  read  the  Bible,  and  would,  therefore,  not  care 
to  receive  one,  and,  still  less  to  retain  it.  The  ambas- 
sador, however,  politely  declined  to  accept  the  dia- 
mond, and  earnestly  besought  the  Elector  graciously 
to  bestow  upon  him  the  same  gift  which  had  been 
received  by  other  ambassadors,  namely,  a  copy  of  the 
Bible,  with  the  assurance  that  he  would  esteem  it  the 
most  acceptable  keepsake.  This  so  greatly  delighted 
the  Elector,  that  he,  with  his  own  hand,  wrote  upon 
its  fly-leaf  a  beautiful  dedicatory  verse,  with  his  name, 
and  then  caused  both  the  Bible  and  the  jewel  to  be 
presented  to  the  ambassador." 

"  I  have  also  been  credibly  informed,"  added  Gerber, 
"  that,  as  often  as  Dr.  Weller  paid  his  morning  visits  to 
the  Elector,  he  found  him  with  a  copy  of  the  Hebrew 
and  of  the  German  Bible  before  him,  frequently  inquir- 
ing of  the  former  the  meaning  of  this  or  that  Hebrew 
word." 

"Very  true,"  remarked  Seckendorf  "I  know  that 
the  Elector  often  sent  for  M.  Bohemus,  at  that  time 
the  rector  of  the  University,  who  was  a  most  finished 
Hebrew  scholar,  and  who  acted  as  his  instructor  in 
this  most  difficult  language  for  a  period  of  three  years, 
until  he  was  able  to  read  the  Scriptures  in  the  orig- 
inal." 

A  pause  here  ensuing,  Mrs.  Spener,  who  had  hith- 
erto regarded  her  husband  with  much  uneasiness,  said, 
"  Dear  Philipp,  do  not  forget  that  you  have  been  sum- 
moned to  appear  at  the  castle!" 

Spener  rose  hastily,  as  if  awakened  out  of  a  dream, 
and  said,  "  You  are  right,  Susannah.     I  was  in  a  fair 


1^2  PHILIP P  JACOB   SPENER. 

way  of  forgetting-  my  duty.  I  am  sorry,  my  dear 
friends,  that  I  must  leave  you.  May  God  give  me 
strength  and  courage  to  become  a  worthy  follower  of 
Dr.  Weller,  and  preserve  in  the  Elector's  son  the 
spirit  of  his  pious,  sainted  father.  But  let  us  first  give 
thanks  unto  the  Lord." 

With  this,  Spener  took  off  his  skull-cap,  folded  his 
hands,  and  when  all  present  had  arisen  from  their 
seats,  prayed  :  "  We  thank  Thee,  our  blessed  God  and 
Father,  that  Thou  hast  once  more  satisfied  us  with 
meat  and  drink,  and  hast  done  great  things  unto  us, 
none  of  which  we  deserve.  Lord !  by  Thy  word  Thou 
hast  magnified  Thy  name  above  all.  In  the  day  when 
I  cried  Thou  answeredst,  and  strengthened  me  with 
strength  in  my  soul.  All  the  kings  of  the  earth  shall 
praise  Thee,  O  Lord,  when  they  hear  the  words  of 
Thy  mouth.  For  though  the  Lord  be  high,  yet  hath 
He  respect  unto  the  lowly ;  but  the  proud  He  know- 
eth  afar  off.  What  shall  I  render  unto  the  Lord  for 
all  His  benefits  toward  me  ?  I  will  take  the  health- 
giving  cup,  and  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and 
praise  Him  forever.     Amen." 

This  prayer  was,  of  course,  the  utterance  of  that 
which  now  more  immediately  engaged  his  mind.  It 
seemed  as  if  he  stood  in  spirit  already  in  the  presence 
of  his  Electoral  Highness.  When  he  had  finished  he 
gave  each  of  his  guests  a  hearty  pressure  of  the  hand, 
and  said,  to  the  Baron,  particularly,  "  I  am  very  sorry 
that  I  must  leave  you.  May  I  .hope  to  see  you  again 
during  the  day?" 

"  Hardly,  my  dear  friend,"  replied  Seckendorf  "  I 
came  to  Dresden  with  the  intention  of  spending  only 


THE   ENTERTAINMENT.  i-,^ 

a  few  days  here,  and  especially  to  see  you  once  again. 
I  may  perhaps  return  to  my  beloved  Meuselwitz  dur- 
ing the  course  of  this  day,  but  certainly  on  to-morrow. 
If  it  please  God,  I  shall  return  again  on  the  first  day 
of  spring  for  a  more  protracted  stay;  yet,  if  you  allow 
it,  I  will  remain  a  little  while  with  your  good  house- 
wife and  Mr.  Gerber.  Go,  with  God  as  your  guide, 
and  let  me  hear  from  you  soon  by  letter." 

Spener  hastened  to  his  study,  where  he  threw  him- 
self upon  his  knees  in  prayer.  He  then  rose,  calm  and 
cheerful,  arrayed  himself  in  his  robe  of  office,  and 
departed  on  his  way  to  the  Elector. 


CHAPTER    VII. 

THE  ELECTOR  AND   HIS   CONFESSOR. 

"  He  that  loveth  pureness  of  heart,  for  the  grace  of  his  lips,  the  king 
shall  be  his  friend." — Prov.  xxii.   ii. 

AS  the  court-chaplain  entered  the  large  castle  gate 
the  Swiss  guard  posted  there  reverently  gave 
way,  and  some  even  saluted  him  with  the  hand  placed 
on  their  halberds,  as  they  would  have  saluted  an 
officer.  When  the  lieutenant  of  the  guard,  who  was  a 
brother  of  Herr  von  Langendorf,  saw  this,  he  imperi- 
ously stept  out  before  them  and  exclaimed,  "  Weapon 
for  weapon,  a  soldier's  honor  for  a  soldier's  deserts. 
Whoever  in  future  salutes  without  orders  will  be 
placed  under  guard,"  and  then  withdrew  with  a  feeling 
of  self-satisfied  authority. 

Meanwhile,  Spener  quietly  traversed  the  well-known 
passages  and  saloons,  noticing  everywhere  an  unusual 
and  somewhat  noisy  activity. 

"  Things  about  here  seem  almost  to  have  a  martial 
appearance,"  he  smilingly  remarked  to  a  courtier  with 
an  official  business  air,  whom  he  knew,  as  they  met 
along  the  corridor  which  led  to  the  Elector's  apart- 
ments. "Is  His  Electoral  Highness  about  preparing 
for  another  warlike  expedition?" 

"  Not  exactly,  reverend  sir,"  replied  the  knight,  with 
affected  politeness.  "  An  expedition  will  doubtless 
come  off  to-night,  but  it  will  be  of  a  very  pacific  char- 
acter; we  are  to  have  a  theatrical  performance  and  a 

(134) 


THE    ELECTOR   AND   HIS   CONFESSOR.         jor 

dance.  I  am  almost  inclined  to  believe,"  he  added, 
with  an  ironical  sneer,  "  that  you,  too,  have  been 
invited,"  and  then,  without  waiting  Spener's  reply, 
passed  smilingly  on. 

Spener  cast  his  eyes  with  a  pained  look  to  the 
ground,  and  having  arrived  at  the  ante-chamber,  he 
requested  the  chamberlain  in  attendance,  to  announce 
to  the  Elector  that  he  was  awaiting  his  commands. 
The  official  complied  in  a  sullen  and  haughty  manner, 
and  when  he  returned  he  opened  the  door  and  gave 
the  Elector's  confessor  silently  to  understand  that  he 
was  to  enter;  after  which  he  again  closed  the  door. 

Spener  found  himself  alone,  and  all  sorts  of  uneasy 
reflections  passed  through  his  mind.  His  sullen  and 
scornful  reception  among  the  courtiers  was  not 
very  well  calculated  to  dispel  accumulating  doubts. 
He  strove,  by  searching  every  recess  of  his  heart,  to 
discover  that  of  which  he  might  possibly  have  been 
accused.  But  however  seriously  he  reflected,  he  could 
not  think  of  any  direct  offence. 

While  thus  engaged,  a  side  door  suddenly  opened 
and  John  George  HI.  entered.  He  was  a  man  of  com- 
manding exterior,  whose  warlike  propensity  shone 
from  his  flashing  eyes,  and  was  still  heightened  by 
his  full-grown  moustache.  The  Elector  was  at  that 
time  in  the  forty-second  year  of  his  age,  and  his 
appearance  indicated  that  the  hardships  of  war,  to 
which  he  had  constantly  exposed  himself,  had  left 
their  traces  behind  by  greatly  exhausting  his  youthful 
vigor. 

"  Enter,  Doctor,"  he  said  in  a  loud  tone  of  voice, 
without    particularly    noticing    the    other's    salutation 


136  PHIL  IP P  JACOB    SPENER. 

and  bow.  "  What  we  have  to  say  to  you  had  best 
be  said  without  the  presence  of  witnesses." 

The  Elector  preceded  and  Spener  followed,  not 
without  some  palpitation  of  the  heart.  "  Be  seated, 
Doctor,"  the  Elector  continued,  after  having  himself 
taken  a  seat  in  his  broad  arm-chair.     "  Be  seated." 

After  Spener  had  rendered  compliance  with  the  will 
of  the  Elector,  His  Highness  turned  his  piercing  eyes 
full  upon  him  and  said,  "  Dear  Doctor,  we  have  never 
forgotten  how  you  edified  and  comforted  us  by  your 
words  in  Frankfurt,  during  the  celebration  of  the  Sup- 
per of  our  Lord.  Neither  will  we  conceal  from  you 
how  you  by  your  first  sermon,  preached  in  this  place, 
affected  our  heart  as  no  one  has  since  been  able  to 
affect  it.  We  have  called  you  to  our  possessions  with 
the  confident  belief  that  you  would  be  a  protector  and 
defender  of  our  evangelical  faith,  and  a  faithful  pastor 
of  our  house.  We  have  no  intention  in  stating  this  to 
lay  anything  to  your  charge,  and  we  are  heartily 
pleased  with  the  manner  in  which  you  discharge  the 
duties  of  your  office  as  preacher  and  pastor." 

The  Elector  here  ceased,  as  if  to  see  what  effect  this 
introduction  would  have  upon  Spener.  As  he,  how- 
ever, waited  quietly  and  with  a  look  of  expectation  for 
further  developments,  the  former  continued:  "But  tell 
us,  Doctor,  why  is  it  that  the  people  have  so  much 
against  you?  We  have  been  informed  that  scarcely 
one  of  your  resident  brethren  in  the  ministry  is  on 
friendly  terms  with  you.  It  is  even  alleged  that  you 
do  not  preach  the  word  of  God  according  to  the 
Scriptures,  and  especially  according  to  the  unaltered 
Augsburg  Confession  and  the  other  Symbolical  Books 


THE   ELECTOR  AND   HIS   CONFESSOR. 


^17 


of  our  Church,  for  which  reason  your  orthodoxy  is 
called  in  question.  It  is  known  to  us  that  the  minis- 
ters of  the  Church  of  the  Cross  have  lodged  complaint 
against  you  before  our  High  Consistory,  on  account  of 
some  defamatory  expressions  that  are  said  to  have 
fallen  from  your  lips.  You  are  represented  as  having 
said,  that  true  Christianity  was  in  a  very  gloomy  con- 
dition in  our  land,  and  that  in  consequence  of  this 
declaration  you  had  found,  especially  in  Carpzov,  the 
superintendent,  a  zealous  and  dangerous  opponent. 
Yea,  even  your  catechetical  examina,  to  the  holding  of 
which  we  gave  our  most  willing  consent,  have  not 
been  without  giving  offence ;  and  what  surprises  us 
most  of  all  is  the  fact  of  your  scholarship  as  a  theolo- 
gian  being  called  in  question.  We  arc  greatly  con- 
cerned that  you  should  vindicate  yourself  against  these 
charges  in  our  presence,  especially  as  we  are  exceed- 
ingly reluctant  to  relinquish  the  good  opinion  which 
we  have  hitherto  entertained  concerning  you.  Speak, 
therefore,  dear  Doctor,  and  be  assured,  in  advance,  of 
our  favor." 

At  first,  Spener  had  listened  with  considerable  un- 
easiness to  the  remarks  of  his  spiritual  son.  As  soon, 
however,  as  he  understood  what  the  Elector  actually 
wanted  with  him,  his  mind  recovered  its  serenity,  for 
he  now  knew  what  he  had  to  bear,  as  well  as  that  God 
would  aid  him  in  bearing  it. 

"  Your  Electoral  Highness,"  he  replied,  calmly  and 
respectfully,  "it  grieves  me  to  have  excited  in  so  many 
respects  the  distrust  of  my  gracious  sovereign,  and 
that  so  much  the  more,  because  the  consciousness  of 
my  imperfections  in  the  high  offices  with  which  I  have 


138  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

been  graciously  intrusted,  are  already  becoming  to  me 
a  burden,  which  weighs  upon  me  daily  with  increasing 
heaviness,  and  which  I  am  able  to  bear  only  by  the 
Divine  aid  and  protection;  yet  the  charges  which  your 
Electoral  Highness  has  specified  in  detail  as  being  pre- 
ferred against  me  are  so  manifold,  that  I  am  somewhat 
at  a  loss  to  know  to  which  I  may  first  be  permitted  to 
say  a  word  in  my  defence." 

"  Well,"  said  his  Highness,  "  I  am  most  concerned 
about  the  charges  affecting  your  orthodoxy.  In  what 
estimation  do  you  hold  the  Symbolical  Books  of  our 
Church?" 

"  I  do  not  hesitate,"  replied  Spener,  "  to  frankl)^ 
communicate  my  views  on  this  subject  to  your  Elec- 
toral Highness.  To  me  the  Holy  Scripture  is  the 
only  book  upon  earth  which  contains  direct  Divine 
revelations,  such  as  were  communicated  through  the 
agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  the  authors  of  the  differ- 
ent books  composing  it.  Such  a  theopneustic,  as 
theologians  call  it,  I  can,  however,  not  allow  to  be 
ascribed  to  the  Symbolical  Books,  nor  can  I  regard 
them  as  of  such  indispensable  necessity,  that  the 
Church  could  not  have  existed  without  them.  Just  as 
little  can  I  regard  the  Symbolical  Books  as  universally 
binding,  but  only  in  so  far  as  they  are  in  agreement 
with  the  Holy  Scripture." 

"  Only  in  so  far  as  they  are  in  agreement  with  the 
Holy  Scripture!"  repeated  the  Elector,  in  a  tone  of 
astonishment.  "According  to  this,  then,  you  belong 
to  those  who  are  more  in  favor  of  the  qnatanis,  than 
the  qiiia?  Perhaps,  to  those  who  hide  themselves 
behind  the  qiiatemis,  the  better  to  dispose  of  their  own 


THE   ELECTOR  AND   HIS   CONFESSOR. 


139 


wisdom,  and  who  find  the  q^iia  somewhat  uncomfort- 
able, because  they  are  unwilhng  to  bow  to  the  Word 
of  God?"* 

"God  forbid!"  exclaimed  Spener.  "I  trust  your 
Electoral  Highness  has  not  misapprehended  my  mean- 
ing, and  will,  therefore,  graciously  permit  me  to  explain 
myself  still  further.  We  must  discriminate  between 
two  classes.  There  may  be  some,  who,  though  not 
regarding  the  teachings  of  the  Symbolical  Books 
entirely  correct,  but  mixed  up  with  error,  do  yet  hide 
themselves  behind  the  quatcnus  deceitfully,  and  from 
worldly  motives  merely,  perhaps  for  the  sake  of  obtain- 
ing a  situation,  whilst  in  their  consciousness  they 
reserve  to  themselves  the  liberty  of  rejecting  whatever 
does  not  accord  with  their  views.  In  this  sense,  a 
clergyman  might  also  subscribe  to  the  Koran,  or  to 
the  articles  of  the  Council  of  Trent,  for  there  is,  in  both 
of  these,  to  be  found  more  or  less  of  divine  truth. 
Then  again,  there  are  others  who  receive  the  teachings 
and  principal  contents  of  the  Symbolical  Books  as 
divine  truth,  but  who  are,  nevertheless,  willing  to 
subscribe  to  them  only  in  so  far  as  they  agree  with 
the  Holy  Scripture,  because  they  fear  that  this  sub- 
scription might  be  taken  as  referring  to  every  syllable 

*The  two  Lalin  words  quia,  i.  e.,  because,  and  quateniis,  i.  e.,  IN 
SO  FAR  AS  relate  to  the  theological  controversial  question,  in  reference  to 
the  Symbolical  Books,  according  to  which  the  one  party,  who  deny  the 
entire  agreement  of  the  Symbolical  Books  with  the  Scriptures,  are  will- 
ing to  acknowledge  these  confessional  writings  of  our  church,  as  a  rule 
of  doctrine  only,  in  so  far  as  [quatenus)  they  agree  with  the  doctrines 
of  the  Bible,  whilst  our  church  has  maintained,  in  these  her  confessional 
writings,  the  entire  agreement  of  their  doctrines  with  the  Bible,  and 
required  subscription  to  them,  because  {quia)  of  this  agreement. 


I40  PHI  LIP P  JACOB  SPENER. 

and  word,  as  also  to  such  quoted  passages  as  are 
therein  contained,  and  which  can  better  be  pardoned 
than  defended,  because  these  incidentals  do  not  agree 
with  the  Holy  Scripture  and  its  sense.  Now,  he  who 
would  not  violate  his  conscience,  cannot  possibly  con- 
sent to  an  unconditional  and  absolute  subscription. 
And  in  this  latter  sense,  your  Electoral  Highness  may 
regard  my  opinion." 

"  But  how,"  asked  the  Elector,  "will  you  distinguish 
the  hypocrite  from  such  as  are  honest  ?" 

"It  is  indeed  true,"  replied  Spener,  "that  the  eye 
of  God  is  alone  able  to  see  into  the  human  heart; 
nevertheless,  there  is,  according  to  human  regulations, 
a  way  by  which  false  brethren  may  be  prevented,  at 
least  to  some  extent,  from  entering  the  church.  Thus, 
for  instance,  if  any  one  being  called  upon  to  declare 
himself,  in  general,  with  reference  to  the  truth  of  the 
doctrine  in  the  articles  of  faith  contained  in  the 
Symbolical  Books,  should  attempt  to  dissemble  with 
such  a  quatcmis,  of  him  we  would  be  fully  justified  in 
assuming,  that  he  was  not  honestly  disposed  towards 
the  doctrines  of  our  church." 

"  What  is,  therefore,  peculiar  in  your  opinion  on  this 
subject?"  asked  the  Elector. 

"  I  myself,"  replied  Spener,  "  do  not  hesitate  to  sub- 
scribe to  the  Symbolical  Books  with  quia,  because 
I  have  convinced  myself  that  the  teachers  of  our 
church,  who  have  composed  and  received  these  writ- 
ings, were  far  from  intending  to  lay  the  conscience 
under  constraint.  Besides,  our  reformers  have  com- 
plained against  the  Papists,  for  attempting  to  bind  the 
conscience  to  the  decisions  of  men.     Furthermore,  our 


THE   ELECTOR  AND   HIS   CONFESSOR. 


141 


church  declares  no  where,  that  she  considers  her 
Symbohcal  Books  fully  equal  to  the  Holy  Scripture, 
or  that  she  looks  upon  them  as  infallible.  She  rather 
left  in  them  only  a  testimony,  in  order  to  set  forth  in  a 
summary  statement,  the  doctrines  she  confesses;  yet, 
always  so,  that  if  any  doubt  should  arise,  the  Holy 
Scripture  is  not  to  be  interpreted  by  the  Symbolical 
Books,  but  these  by  the  Holy  Scripture,  which  is,  after 
all,  the  one  and  only  rule  and  plummet  of  our  faith. 
Now,  being  fully  convinced  that  such  was  the  inten- 
tion of  our  reformers,  I  receive  the  Symbolical  Books, 
because  I  regard  their  teachings,  in  articles  of  faith,  as 
in  agreement  with  the  Holy  Scripture.  In  connection 
with  this,  however,  I  must  guard  against  the  idea,  that 
this  obligation  extends  to  subordinate  matters,  which 
do  not  properly  belong  to  doctrines.  But  for  the  sake 
of  weaker  brethren,  who,  by  virtue  of  their  quia,  also 
consider  themselves,  in  conscience,  bound  to  these 
subordinate  matters,  I  regard  it  as  fair  to  be  satisfied 
with  the  subscription  of  quatenus,  so  soon  as  they  have 
given  a  formal  confession  that  they  believe  in  the 
Biblical  truth  of  the  doctrine  itself,  which  is  taught  in 
the  Confession.  For,  no  matter  in  what  form  the 
thing  be  expressed,  it  is  our  common  fundamental 
position,  that  nothing  whatsoever  is  to  be  accepted, 
except  what  is  in  accordance  with  the  Holy  Scripture, 
understood  in  its  own  proper  sense.  From  this  it 
follows,  that  I  have  no  right  to  regard  as  errorists,  and 
exclude  from  the  communion  of  our  church,  all  such 
as  hold  to  our  doctrines,  but  who  yet  scrupk  to  bind 
themselves,  in  all  things,  to  the  Symbolical  Books. 
But,    on    the    other    hand,    I    must  justly   regard   as 


1^2  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

enemies  to  our  Lutheran  church,  all  who,  in  toto  and 
unconditionally,  reject  the  Symbolical  Books,  refuse 
to  obligate  themselves  to  them,  and  desire  to  have 
them  abolished  from  the  church  altogether.  For  if 
they  are  properly  understood,  and  if  their  obligation 
be  rightly  comprehended,  they  are  of  great  advantage, 
especially  in  our  time;  whilst  their  abolishment  would 
be  attended  with  great  mischief  Besides,  there  is  a 
great  difference  between  non-introduction  and  abolish- 
ment. As  regards  the  charge  that  the  doctrines  I 
inculcate,  do  not  agree  with  the  teachings  of  Luther, 
or  still  further,  with  those  of  the  Holy  Scripture,  I 
trust  your  Electoral  Highness  will  be  able  to  give  me 
a  better  testimony." 

"  We  certainly  feel  constrained,"  replied  the  Elector, 
"to  bear  testimony,  that  we  have  ever  found  your 
teachings  in  accordance  with  the  Holy  Scripture. 
What  you  say  concerning  the  Symbolical  Books, 
appears  to  us  to  be  fair;  yet  we,  at  the  same  time, 
can  very  easily  comprehend  how  the  views  you  enter- 
tain may  give  offence  to  many  of  your  learned  and 
hyper-orthodox  brethren  in  the  ministry.  Do  you, 
then,  really  despise  science  as  much  as  you  are 
accused  of  doing?" 

Spener  gave  a  mournful  smile,  and  replied :  "  It 
pains  me  to  be  accused  without  a  cause.  No  one  can 
more  highly  esteem  every  human  science,  which  may 
be  applied  to  a  good  use,  than  I  do;  for  I  recognize 
such  as  a  precious  gift  from  God,  and  sincerely  pray 
to  Him  for  its  preservation.  Were  it  otherwise,  I 
would  be  ungrateful  to  all  my  teachers  who  instructed 
me  in  Divine  and  human   knowledge.     Yet,  I  regard 


THE   ELECTOR   AND   HIS   CONFESSOR. 


143 


only  such  science  as  estimable  and  worthy  of  attention, 
which  may  be  employed  for  the  glory  of  God ;  and  this 
must  be  possible  with  all  true  science.  As  often  as  I 
have  had  occasion  to  declare  myself,  in  reference  to 
universities,  I  always  expressed  a  desire  that  the  youth 
should,  above  all  things,  have  their  attention  specially 
directed  to  the  Holy  Scripture,  so  that  theology  might 
not  merely  consist  in  a  knowledge  of  the  letter,  or  be 
only  such  as  belongs  to  the  theologian,  but  a  real  liv- 
ing knowledge,  and  that  all  their  studies  should  be 
pursued  in  the  fear  of  God.  I  esteem,  honor  and  love 
science,  but  I  prize  a  godly  life  far  more,  if  only  for  the 
sake  of  the  people,  to  whom  heaven  would  be  forever 
closed,  if  there  was  nothing  besides  learning  to  unlock 
it." 

"There  you  are  right,  my  dear  Doctor,"  replied 
John  George,  "  and  when  one  hears  you  speak  in  this 
way,  one  cannot  comprehend  how  it  is  that  you  have 
so  many  enemies.  For  we  will  not  conceal  from  you 
the  fact,  that  you  have  in  the  castle,  apart  from  our- 
selves and  family,  not  many  advocates,  and  that  it  is 
just  on  account  of  the  incessant  intimations  of  dissat- 
isfaction with  you  on  the  part  of  our  courtiers,  that  we 
have  been  induced  to  have  this  conversation  with  you 
in  regard  to  it.  How  do  you  account  for  this  opposi- 
tion ?" 

"  My  gracious  sovereign,"  replied  the  court  chaplain, 
with  more  frankness  and  cheerfulness  than  hitherto,  "  I 
would  have  to  perish  under  a  sense  of  my  offences,  did 
I  not  possess  the  comforting  consciousness,  that  I  have 
called  forth  these  evil  reports,  by  being  honestly  en- 
gaged in  the  service  of  Christ.     Your  Electoral  High- 


144  PHILIPP  JACOB   SPENER. 

ness,  there  have  nearly  always  been  two  kinds  of  Chris- 
tians in  the  church  of  Christ ;  namely,  such  as  rest 
satisfied  with  the  letter,  and  who  live  according  to  their 
wisdom,  and  those  who  regard  the  fear  of  the  Lord  as 
the  highest  wisdom,  and  who  are  anxious  to  live  ac- 
cording to  this  wisdom.  The  first  hold  to  the  form, 
the  latter,  to  the  essence ;  those  desire  to  be  known  by 
their  wisdom,  these,  by  their  true.  Christian  godliness ; 
those  boast  of  their  strength,  these  of  their  weakness. 
My  gracious  sovereign,  if  my  enemies  could  convict 
me  of  any  departure  from  the  true  Evangelical  doc- 
trine, I  could  not  have  the  courage  to  open  my  lips 
before  your  Electoral  Highness.  But  God  be  thanked, 
this  they  cannot  do.  Yet  because  I,  from  my  inmost 
conviction,  war  against  a  strait  orthodoxy,  which  finds 
salvation  more  in  an  unfruitful  faith  in  the  letter,  than 
in  that  genuine  faith  which  works  by  love;  simply  be- 
cause I  regard  the  pulpit  as  a  sacred  place,  where  only 
the  Word  of  God  is  to  be  preached  and  explained 
plainly,  purely  and  powerfully,  and  not  as  a  place  where 
human  wisdom  should  exhibit  its  dialectical  skill,  and 
show  off  its  wrangling  phrases ;  because  I  endeavor  to 
edify  and  comfort  my  hearers,  and  lead  them,  through 
the  consciousness  of  guilt  and  sin,  to  the  necessity  of 
the  grace  of  God  in  Christ,  and  not,  as  is  often  the  case, 
offer  my  people,  instead  of  the  preaching  of  Christ  and 
in  Christ,  learned  crumbs  about  Christ,  which  are  more 
injurious  to  Christian  life,  than  promotive  of  it;  there- 
fore, do  they  hate  me,  and  speak  all  manner  of  evil 
against  me,  and  all  who  are  of  the  same  mind  with  me, 
and  designate  us  by  the  name  of  Pietists,  and  in  such  a 
way  too,  that  we  are  regarded  as  a  new  heretical  sect." 


THE   ELECTOR  AND   HIS   CONFESSOR.         j^c 

"  Since  you  yourself  have  mentioned  this  name," 
said  the  Elector,  with  a  faint  smile,  "  we  will  inform 
you,  that  a  definition  of  the  word  Pietist  has  been  sub- 
mitted to  us,  which  we  will  read  to  you."  And  the 
Elector  took  from  his  writing-desk  a  legal  document, 
opened  it  and  read  as  follows :  "  By  Pietists,  nothing 
more  is  meant,  than  people  who,  by  praying,  sighing, 
hanging  of  the  head  and  fasting,  also  by  their  dress 
and  other  matters,  pretend  to  be  holier,  more  righteous 
and  godly  than  all  others,  whereas,  it  is  nothing  but 
affectation  ;  people  who  attempt  to  lead  others  to  piety, 
but  have  not  the  skill  to  do  it ;  people  who,  to  the  neg- 
lect of  all  necessary  studies,  speak  only  of  stiidiiim  pie- 
tatis." 

"  The  enemy  hath  done  this !"  replied  Spener,  calmly 
and  with  dignity,  "and,"  he  added,  "your  Electoral 
Highness,  I  am  almost  surprised,  that,  in  said  defini- 
tion, the  name  Spenerite  is  not  alternately  employed 
with  that  of  Pietist.  They  abuse  me  on  account  of  my 
zeal,  and  yet  they  cannot,  in  anything,  convict  me  of 
error.  To  abuse  any  one,  is  much  easier  than  to  con- 
vict him  of  error.  If  there  are  a  few,  or  even  many, 
who  seek  to  show  their  piety  in  the  manner  specified 
in  the  definition  read  by  your  Electoral  Highness,  why 
is  the  whole  cause  denounced  for  the  sake  of  a  few 
hypocritical  individuals,  and  thus  impede  the  power  of 
the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  to  save  that  which  is  lost  ? 
Is  it,  then,  absolutely  unchristian  and  condemnable,  to 
manifest  outwardly,  by  simplicity  and  temperance,  by 
praying  and  fasting,  that  we  also  endeavor  to  overcome 
the  lust  of  the  world  within,  and  thus  show,  by  our 
works,  the  nature  of  our  faith  ?  It  is,  apart  from  this, 
7 


146  PHILIPP  JACOB   SPENER. 

lamentable  enough,  that  true  Christianity  has  not  yet 
so  thoroughly  permeated  the  people,  that  in  their 
search  after  truth,  they  avoid  all  delusive  appearances, 
and  that  piety  rather  than  learning  may  be  pretended. 
But  most  painful  of  all  is  the  circumstance  that  min- 
isters, instead  of  uniting  in  mutual  love  and  mild  for- 
bearance, in  the  one  thing  needful,  should  bear  enmity 
toward  each  other,  and  thus  bring  the  sanctuary  of  the 
people,  I  mean  the  Christian  faith,  into  such  bad 
repute." 

"  What  do  you  intend  to  do  ?"  asked  the  Elector. 

"  What  I  have  hitherto  done — courageously  perse- 
vere," replied  Spener,  "  and  unremittingly  continue 
what  I,  with  the  help  of  God,  have  begun.  My  main 
efforts  are  specially  directed  towards  correcting  the 
abuses  that  have  crept  into  the  ministry,  and  towards 
gradually  restoring  the  office,  as  far  as  I  can  do  so, 
by  precept  and  example,  to  that  original  purity  and 
sanctity  which  the  Lord  enjoined  and  upon  which 
its  success  mainly  depends.  Then  see  to  it,  that  the 
students  in  our  universities  are  led  more  and  more 
to  the  study  of  the  Bible,  and  the  cultivation  of  true 
godliness,  instead  of  either  applying  themselves  to 
subjects  which  will  eventually  prove  of  but  little 
advantage  to  them  in  the  ministry,  and  entangle  them 
only  in  scholastic  trifles  and  subtleties ;  or  by  leading 
an  ungodly  life,  render  themselves  unfit  for  the  prepar- 
ation of  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  alone  forms  the  true 
theologian." 

"Are  you,"  asked  the  Elector,  as  if  these  remarks 
had  recalled  a  question  previously  meditated,  "are  you 
acquainted  with  a  certain  Master  Nullenbrecher  ?     He 


THE    ELECTOR  AND   HIS   CONFESSOR. 


147 


has  been  represented  to  us  as  an  able  and  learned  can- 
didatus,  and  we  should  have  been  pleased  if  you  had 
appointed  him  pastor  of  Altleben." 

"If,"  replied  Spener,  "your  Electoral  Highness 
command  such  to  the  Consistory,  it  will  and  must  be 
done." 

"  What  have  you  against  this  candidate?"  asked  the 
Elector,  somewhat  testily. 

"  So  far  as  I  know  him,"  replied  Spener,  "  which  is, 
at  most,  but  slightly,  I  cannot  withhold  from  him  the 
testimony  of  being  a  learned  theologian,  as  our  time 
makes  them.  Yet,  in  a  country  pastor,  who  is  to  in- 
struct his  people  not  so  much  in  learning  as  in  true 
godliness,  in  which  he  is  at  the  same  time  to  show 
them  a  good  example,  something  further  is  requisite, 
which  Master  Nullenbrecher  does  not  yet  seem  to 
possess,  namely,  a  pious  heart,  free  from  the  lust  of 
this  world,  a  sincere  love  for  the  pastoral  office,  and, 
above  all,  an  humble  modesty,  which  does  not  boast 
of  its  own  strength,  but  which,  in  earnest  prayer,  asks, 
and  in  believing  confidence,  expects,  the  blessing  on 
his  office  from  the  Lord.  Besides,  and  your  Electoral 
Highness  sees,  that  I  have  nothing  to  conceal;  besides, 
I  was  not  very  well  pleased  with  the  impetuous  eager- 
ness with  which  the  candidate,  in  question,  seeks,  and 
the  means  he  employs,  in  gaining  possession  of  Altle- 
ben. I  entertain  the  firmest  conviction  that  the  Lord 
knows  every  one  whom  He  intends  to  call  to  His  ser- 
vice, and  that  He  will  Himself  call  him,  whenever  his 
time  has  come." 

The  Elector  remained  for  a  time  in  thoughtful  silence, 
then  he  rose  from  his  chair,  walked  with  folded  arms 


148  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

up  and  down,  and  said,  rather  to  himself  than  to 
Spener:  "It  is  true  the  eagerness  with  which  Lan- 
gendorf  presses  the  cause  of  his  favorite,  does  not 
altogether  please  me.  A  too  vehement  solicitation  of 
a  spiritual  office,  does  not  always  arise  from  the  best 
motives.  Stay  Doctor,"  he  said,  interrupting  himself, 
as  Spener  had  respectfully  risen  from  the  chair,  '*  keep 
your  seat  a  little  while  longer !  We  have  still  some- 
thing to  say  to  you.  Do  you  know  our  worthy  knight, 
Langendorf?" 

"  But  slightly,  my  gracious  sovereign,"  replied  Spener. 

"  Have  you  any  recollection,"  continued  the  Elector, 
"of  ever  having  personally  offended  him  ?" 

"  None  in  the  least,"  assured  the  court-chaplain. 
"  I  even  believe  that  we  have  never  so  much  as  spoken 
to  each  other." 

"  Incomprehensible !"  said  the  Elector.  "  We  are 
really  truly  sorry  that  you,  dear  Doctor,  have  so  few 
friends  among  our  courtiers.  Can  you  not  assign  us  a 
reason  for  this  ?" 

Spener  looked  thoughtful  for  a  moment,  as  if  in 
doubt  whether  he  might  venture  an  open  and  honest 
reply.  Then  quickly  collecting  himself,  he  said: 
"Your  Electoral  Highness  has  ever  been  gracious  to 
me  beyond  my  deservings.  This  emboldens  me  also 
in  this  instance,  to  open  my  heart  to  you  fearlessly  and 
without  reserve." 

"  Ay,  how  else.  Doctor  ?"  said  the  Elector,  with  a 
smile,  such  as  he  rarely  gave,  but  which  apparently 
proceeded  from  pure  kindliness.  "I  have  often  enough 
permitted  you  to  look  into  my  heart;  why  should  you 
not  also  permit  me  to  look  into  yours  ?"     And  with 


-^^^-,^'7:N^C.-y-i^>^ 


THE    ELECTOR  AND   HIS   CONFESSOR. 


149 


this  he  again  resumed  his   seat,  crossed   his   legs  so 
vigorously,    that   his    golden   spurs   clattered,  and  re- 
garded the  Doctor  with  a  look  of  unfeigned  affection. 
"  Well,  my  gracious  sovereign,"  now  began  Spener, 
in  an  easy  and  pleasant  manner.     "  John  says,  '  Love 
not  the  world,  neither  the  things  that  are  in  the  world.  \ 
If  any  man  love  the  world,  the  love  of  the  Father  is  \ 
not  in  him.     For  all  that  is  in  the  world,  the  lust  of  ' 
the  flesh,  and  the  lust  of  the  eyes,  and  the  pride  of 
life,  is  not  of  the  Father,  but  is  of  the  world.'     These 
words,  your  Electoral  Highness,  explain  why  the  King- 
dom of  God,  and   such  as  proclaim  it,  are  in  conflict 
with    the    children    of  this    world.     The    world   loves   1 
sensual  enjoyment,  and  that  not  merely  as  a  means  of  / 
temporary  recreation  and  repose,  but  as  the  object  of  / 
the  whole  of  this  earthly  life;  but  the  Kingdom  of  God! 
enjoins    self-denial    and    abstinence,    and   requires   thej 
heart  to   raise  itself  above  all  sensual  desires,  and  to, 
become  more  and  more  convinced  of  the  wretchedness  > 
of  all  temporal  enjoyments.     The  eyes  of  the  children 
of  this  world  delight  most  in  the  pomp,  magnificence, 
and  glory  of  this  earth,  and  love  to  feast  upon  what- 
ever excites  and  promotes  sensual  enjoyment,  and  take 
the  poison   of  damnation   into  the  heart,  which    was 
designed  only  for  a  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost.     But 
the  Kingdom  of  God  requires  that  our  eyes    should 
look  to  His  ways  and  righteousness.     Oiir  bodily  eyes 
are  to  make  the  beginning,  by  lifting  themselves  up  to 
heaven,  so  that  our  spiritual  eyes  may  find  their  way 
thither  with  the  greater  certainty.     The  Christian  is  to 
have  God  and  His  Word  always  before  his  eyes,  and 
in  his  heart;  but  the  world  finds  this  injunction  uncom- 


I^o  PHIL  IP  P  JACOB  SPENER. 

/Tortable,  tedious,  and  troublesome.  All  pride  is  an 
abomination  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  for  that  which 
engenders  and  promotes  our  pride,  belongs  only  to 
earth,  and  is  dust  and  ashes ;  and  even  the  pride  and 
self-conceit  of  our  wisdom  refer  merely  to  an  earthly 
good;  for  true  wisdom  is  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  which 
ever  consists  in  humility  and  the  believing  subjection 
of  our  own  wisdom  and  will  to  the  wisdom  and  will 
of  God  the  Father,  as  Christ  has  revealed  it  to  us.  Is 
it  then  to  be  wondered  at,  your  Electoral  Highness, 
that  the  ministers  of  the  Word  of  God  give  offence  to 
the  children  of  this  world?  We  assail  them  at  their 
most  sensitive  point;  we  wish  to  deprive  them  of  the 
very  things  they  hold  most  dear;  we  inflict  just  such 
wounds  upon  them  as  will  either  never  heal  at  all,  or 
only  with  difficulty,  because  they  despise  the  balm 
offered  them  in  the  Word  of  God!  If  I  were  told 
that  all  the  world  applauded  me  and  my  preaching,  I 
would  ask  myself,  with  fear  and  trembling.  Are  you 
then  such  a  vacillating  reed,  that  you  are  tossed  to  and 
fro,  and  carried  about  by  every  wind  of  doctrine,  by 
the  sleight  of  men  and  cunning  craftiness  ?  and  then, 
if  this  were  so,  I  would  not  be  worthy  to  be  called  a 
servant  of  Christ.  Or  I  would  say  to  myself,  What  a 
miracle !  Have  all  men  suddenly  become  godly  ? 
Since,  however,  neither  is  the  case,  these  evil  reports 
concerning  me  are  my  consolation  and  my  joy.  For 
I  regard  them  as  an  evidence  that  I  teach  the  way  of 
the  Lord  aright." 

The  Elector  had  attentively  listened;  but  his  counte- 
nance assumed  a  frowning  look  when  he  rejoined  by 
saying,  "According  to  this,  then,  you  require  a  man  to 
lay  aside  all  that  is  human.     How  is  this  possible  ?" 


THE   ELECTOR  AND   HIS   CONFESSOR.         jci 

"  Oh,  no,  my  gracious  sovereign,"  replied  the  court- 
chaplain,  with  unruffled  cheerfulness ;  "  that  would,  of 
course,  not  be  possible.  We  are  so  utterly  dependent 
on  the  world  for  all  our  wants ;  yea,  even  for  our  moral 
improvement,  that  we  cannot  do  without  it.  But,  your 
Electoral  Highness,  it  concerns  the  dominion  of  the 
spirit  over  the  body;  it  concerns  that  faith  which  over- 
comes the  world  ;  it  concerns  a  struggling  and  battling 
for  freedom  from  that  which  would  bring  us  under 
subjection  to  the  lust  of  this  world.  The  world  with 
its  pleasures  is  to  serve  us,  wherever  it  is  necessary 
for  the  preservation  and  invigoration  of  our  physical 
life  ;  but  we  are  not  to  be  slaves  to  lust,  that  it  may 
control  us.  A  pure  heart  is  full  of  exceeding  great 
joy." 

The  Elector  gazed  for  a  time  fixedly  at  his  confessbf, 
as  if  to  assure  himself  whether  he  was  in  earnest,  or  as 
if  himself  had  not  yet  determined  whether  or  not  to 
agree  with  him.  He  unmistakably  considered  the 
words  in  his  heart,  but  was  at  a  loss  what  to  reply  to 
them,  when,  all  at  once,  his  eyes  fell  upon  the  glitter- 
ing coat-of-arms,  ornamented  with  gold,  which  stood 
in  a  corner  of  the  room,  and  glad  to  have  found  an- 
other subject  for  conversation,  he  quickly  asked,  in 
almost  a  commanding  tone,  "What  is  your  opinion 
about  war.  Doctor  ?" 

Spener  was  taken  by  surprise.  The  frowning  look 
of  the  Elector  had  not  escaped  him,  and  he  knew  well 
that  his  spiritual  son  was  somewhat  passionately  fond 
of  war.  As  his  conscience,  however,  did  not  accuse 
him  of  any  dereliction  of  duty  or  respect,  he  quickly 
rallied,  and  replied,  boldly  and  unembarrassed,  as  one 


152  PHIL  IP  P  JACOB  SPENER. 

who,  knowing  himself  engaged  in  the    service  of  his 
Lord,    also   feels    assured   of  His  protection    and   aid, 
"  Your  Electoral  Highness  knows  that  I  am  a  servant 
of  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  which  proclaims  peace, 
and  has  only  one  law,  the  law  of  love  toward  all  men. 
I,   therefore,   cannot  be  a  panegyrist  of  war.     Since, 
however,  God,  in  His  wisdom,  permits  such  bloody  con- 
flicts, since  the  history  of  nations  and  states  teaches  me 
that  war  is  often  unavoidable,  and  since  it  may  even  be 
a  work  of  love,  correction,  order  and  righteousness,  I 
humbly  bow  to  the  inscrutable  will  of  my  God,  assured 
that  also  wars  belong  to  the  ways  of  that  Providence, 
by  which  He  conducts  men  to  Himself.     My  gracious 
/    sovereign,  as  long  as  the  individual  kingdoms  in  this 
^  world  do  not  constitute  the  one  real  and  true  kingdom 
of  God   on   earth,   the   sword  of  justice  will   have  to 
govern,  instead  of  the  word  of  love ;  and  so  long  will 
there  be,  both  in  Church  and  State,  a  different  road  to 
{  human   greatness.     The  warrior,  the  prince,  becomes 
'  great   through    the   consciousness  of  his  power,  with 
which   he  knows  how    to  guide  the  reins  of  govern- 
ment, hold  nations  in  subjection,  and  establish,  pro- 
,'    mote  and  secure  national  prosperity.     The  prince  be- 
comes  great  through  the  wisdom  and  courage  with 
which  he  wards  off  and  overcomes  the  dangers  that 
threaten  his  realm,  and  curbs  troublesome  neighbors, 
i     With    the  Christian,   it  is,  of  course,  different.     The 
'     Christian  becomes  great  through  the  consciousness  of 
his  weakness  and  unworthiness  before  God,  which  con- 
tinually urges  him  to  go  on  unto  perfection,  that  he 
may  abound  more  and  more  in  the  grace  of  God.     The 
i  Christian  becomes  great  in  his  humility  and  faith,  with 


THE   ELECTOR   AND   HIS  CONFESSOR.         153 

which  he  knows  how  to  endure  tribulation  and  an- 
guish ;  he  becomes  great  through  his  subjection  to  the 
will  of  Him,  who  is  able  to  do  exceeding  abundantly 
above  all  that  we  ask  or  think.  Both,  however,  the 
greatness  of  the  prince  and  of  the  Christian,  must  be- 
come one;  and  the  beginning  of  this  is  already  to  be 
found  in  the  circumstance  that  the  warrior,  after  he 
has  gained  a  victory,  throws  himself  upon  his  knees, 
and  exclaims,  '  Not  unto  me,  O  Lord  !  not  unto  me,  but 
unto  Thy  name  give  praise  and  honor !'  " 

When  Spener,  in  his  enthusiasm,  almost  forgetting 
where  he  was,  here  concluded,  the  Elector  arose, 
crossed  his  arms,  and,  lost  in  thought,  began  again  to 
walk  back  and  forth.  Spener,  regarding  it  as  impolite 
to  retain  his  seat,  arose  also ;  but  the  Elector  again 
called  to  him,  "Stay,  Doctor;  keep  your  seat;  we 
may  have  something  more  to  ask  you." 

Spener  obeyed,  and  waited  respectfully  for  his  sov- 
ereign to  resume  the  discourse.  Several  minutes, 
however,  elapsed,  during  which  the  Elector  continued 
his  walk  in  silence,  yet  with  a  significant  working  of  fiis 
countenance.  At  length  he  stopped  before  his  con- 
fessor, and  said,  "  What  is  your  opinion  about  dancing^ 
and  theatrical  performances?" 

The  Doctor  was  startled.  He  remembered  that 
these  very  amusements  were  to  come  off  at  the  castle 
in  the  evening;  and  he  had,  moreover,  been  informed 
that  the  Elector  always  heartily  enjoyed  them.  When 
he,  therefore,  hesitated  with  his  answer,  the  Elector 
continued,  with  some  bitterness  in  his  tone,  "  Well, 
Doctor,  you  hesitate  to  give  us  an  answer.  It  seems 
to  us  that  you  have,  thus  far,  maintained  your  cause 
pretty  courageously," 
7* 


154  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 


\J 


"It  would  sorely  grieve  me,"  replied  the  confessor, 
whom  the  ill  humor  of  the  Elector  had  not  escaped, 
"  if  your  Electoral  Highness  had  taken  offence  at  my, 
it  may  be,  awkward  frankness.  Though  the  most 
humble,  I  am,  nevertheless,  a  faithful  servant  of  your 
Electoral  Highness,  and  God,  the  Searcher  of  hearts, 
knows  that  I  never  lift  up  my  heart  to  Him  in  prayer, 
without  asking  Him  to  exercise  protection  and  care 
over  your  Electoral  Highness." 

"I  know  it.  Doctor,"  replied  the  prince,  in  a  milder 
and  kindlier  tone,  "  and  I  thank  you  for  dealing  hon- 
estly and  uprightly  with  me,  which  may  not  be  the 
case  with  all  about  me.  But  give  me  an  answer  to  my 
question." 

"It  would  be  wrong,"  continued  the  court-chaplain, 
"yea,  even  contrary  to  the  expressed  will  of  God  and 
the  example  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  if  Christians 
were  to  regard  every  innocent  amusement  as  sinful. 
But  the  mistake  lies  in  the  fact,  that  there  is  scarcely 
an  innocent  amusement  which  does  not  also  at  the 
same  time  awaken  impure  thoughts  and  feelings. 
Dancing  and  theatrical  performances  are  in  themselves 
harmless  and  indifferent  things,  and  Solomon  even 
classes  among  honorable  things,  which  have  their  time, 
the  exercise  of  dancing.  Yet,  when  we  reflect  how 
the  preparations  for  such  thmgs  enslave  the  heart  and 
and  mind,  days,  and  even  months  before,  so  that,  dur- 
ing all  this  time,  the  pleasure  in  the  word  of  God  must 
utterly  give  way  to  the  lust  of  the  world ;  when  we 
reflect  how  even  the  enjoyment  of  these  pleasures 
almost  always  transcends  the  limits  of  a  pure,  innocent 
cheerfulness  of  the  heart,  and  how  at  such  times  only 


THE    ELECTOR   AND   HIS   CONFESSOR. 


155 


sensual  and  impure  thoughts  take  possession  of  the 
human  breast ;  if  we  reflect,  especially,  how  afterwards 
the  remembrance  of  these  pleasures  occupies  heart, 
mind  and  sense  so  exclusively,  that  godliness  can  find 
no  entrance,  and  that  thus  weeks,  and  even  months 
pass  by,  during  which,  among  the  great  majority  of 
men,  the  thoughts  about  their  heavenly  calling,  about 
repentance  and  amendment,  and  the  building  up  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  within  them,  are  entirely  neglected ; 
and  if,  in  addition  to  all  this,  we  call  to  mind  the  dec- 
laration of  Scripture,  that  we  shall  give  an  account  for 
every  unprofitable  word,  we  might  well  hesitate  in 
regarding  such  amusements  as  harmless  and  indifferent." 

The  Elector,  who  had  hitherto  walked  back  and 
forth  with  some  rapidity,  paused  when  Spener  had 
ended,  stood  before  him  and  Ipoked  him  steadily  in 
the  eye;  and  when  he  saw  the  earnest  dignity  with 
which  the  frank  confessor  endured  the  look  of  his 
sovereign,  he  seized  a  silver  bell  upon  the  table,  and 
gave  it  a  loud  and  violent  ring.  Herr  von  Langendorf 
entered  and  bowed  to  the  Elector  in  the  most  graceful 
and  obsequious  manner. 

"The  dance  and  theatrical  performance,  which  were 
to  have  taken  place  to-day,"  said  the  Elector  to  him, 
distinctly,  "  are  herewith  forbidden,  and  you  will  take 
care  that  it  becomes  speedily  known." 

"Your  Electoral  Highness!"  replied  the  courtier,  in 
the  greatest  amazement. 

"What  mean  you?"  haughtily  demanded  the  prince. 
"  Do  what  we  command  you." 

The  knight  bowed  obedience,  and  silently,  and  with 
a  sinister  scowl  at  the  court-chaplain,  left  the  room. 


156  PHI  LIP  P  JACOB  SPENER. 

"  Now,  my  good  Doctor,  you  may  go,"  said  the 
Elector  to  Spener,  in  a  tone  of  unusual  kindness;  "go, 
and  accept  our  thanks  !     Are  you  satisfied  with  us  ?" 

"  My  most  kind  and  gracious  sovereign,"  replied 
Spener,  whilst  his  countenance  was  lit  up  with  a 
happy  joy,  "  God  protect  and  keep  your  Electoral 
Highness !  Oh,  Solomon,  how  deeply  do  I  feel  the 
truth  of  thy  declaration :  '  Blessed  art  thou,  O  land, 
when  thy  king  is  the  son  of  nobles !'  " 

"And  I,"  said  John  George,  "  will  add  :  '  Blessed  art 
thou,  O  king,  when  thy  servants  are  faithful  and  noble !' 
Now  go,  and  may  God  be  with  you  !"  He  waved  his 
hand  kindly,  and  Spener  left  the  Electoral  apartment 
in  blissful  satisfaction. 

As  he  traversed  the  passages  and  apartments,  he  ex- 
perienced, from  all  whom  he  met,  slights  which  bor- 
dered on  scorn  and  contempt ;  for  the  sudden  and 
entirely  unexpected  interdict  upon  the  amusements 
which  had  been  prepared  for  that  evening,  ran  through 
the  castle  like  a  flash  of  lightning,  threatening  to  burst 
upon  him  who  had  been  the  more  immediate  cause  of 
this  dire  misfortune  ;  but  the  peace  of  God  richly  com- 
pensated him  for  every  insult. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

THE    VOICE    OF    CONSCIENCE. 

"  They  died  for  fear,  denying  that  they  saw  the  air,  which  could  of 
no  side  be  avoided;  for  wickedness,  condemned  by  her  own  witness, 
is  very  timorous,  and,  being  pressed  with  conscience,  always  forecasteth 
grievous  things;  for  fear  is  nothing  else  but  a  betraying  of  the  succors 
which  reason  offereth." — IVisd.  of  Solomoti,  xvii :  10-13. 

WE  return  again  to  the  house  of  Mr.  Guldenmeyer, 
where  was  in  progress  an  event  of  which  few 
had  even  the  remotest  suspicion. 

During  the  afternoon  of  one  of  the  following  days, 
there  might  have  been  seen  a  man  entering  the  city 
by  the  Pirna  gate,  who  by  his  earnest  look,  his  bowed 
head,  and  by  his  arms  crossed  behind  his  back,  could 
easily  have  been  recognized  as  Petermann,  the  Lock- 
witz  school-master.  When  he  had  arrived  at  the  house 
of  the  goldsmith,  he  stood  still,  gazed  thoughtfully 
and  irresolutely  through  the  open  door,  and  then  con- 
tinued his  way  about  twenty  paces  further  on,  then 
turned  suddenly  about  again,  and  walked  into  the 
house  he  had  just  passed.  Upon  entering  the  lower 
room,  he  found  the  goldsmith  alo-ne,  who,  with  a 
gloomy  air,  seated  in  his  arm-chair,  with  his  head 
resting  upon  the  palm  of  his  hand,  started  with  sur- 
prise when  he  beheld  his  unexpected  visitor. 

"  God  bless  you,"  said  Petermann,  and,  without  wait- 
ing for  an  invitation,  took  a  chair  near  the  window. 

"  You  are  welcome,"  replied  the  artisan,  with  a  look 
which  did  not  appear  to  correspond  with  his  words. 

(157) 


1^8  PIIILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

"  How  comes  it  that  you  honor  me  with  your  visit  on 
this  particular  day  ?" 

Particular  day!"  repeated  the  schoolmaster.  "It 
seems  to  me  you  might  say,  with  reference  to  every 
day,  'particular  day!'  To-morrow  neither  of  us  might 
be  living;  and,  since  I  have  something  special  to  say 
to  you,  this  day  appears  as  suitable  as  any.  But,  first 
of  all,  I  hear  you  have  been  sick :  or  are  you  still  so  ?" 

"  How  did  you  hear  of  it  ?"  asked  Guldenmeyer, 
somewhat  troubled. 

"  I  yesterday,"  replied  Petermann,  in  a  careless  tone, 
"had  a  conversation  with  Mr.  Bennhofer,  who  had  ap- 
pointed a  certain  day  upon  which  you  were  to  meet 
him  at  court,  and  he  informed  me  that  you  could  not 
keep  the  appointment,  on  account  of  sickness." 

"Mr.  Bennhofer,"  said  the  goldsmith,  in  a  sullen  and 
scornful  manner,  "  must  be  in  extreme  haste,  to  com- 
municate to  everybody  what  is  not  for  every  one  to 
know." 

"  But  yet,  perhaps,  for  me,"  continued  Petermann, 
with  an  ironical  smile;  but  immediately  added,  in  a 
kindly  manner,  "  Mr.  Guldenmeyer,  something  troubles 
you.  Will  you  not  confide  it  to  me  ?  Perhaps  I  can 
assist  you,  if  not  so  much  in  deed,  for  you  know  that 
I  am  a  poor  man,  at  least  with  advice ;  and,  if  it  were 
nothing  more  than  a  forcible  passage  of  Scripture,  as, 
for  instance  the  words  of  Solomon,  'An  inheritance 
may  be  gotten  hastily,  but  the  end  thereof  shall  not  be 
blessed ;'  or  something  from  Sirach,  such  as  :  '  Riches 
are  good  unto  him  that  hath  no  sin.'" 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  this  ?"  angrily  demanded 
the   goldsmith.     "  Think   you    that   you  are    in    your 


THE    VOICE    OF  CONSCIENCE. 


159 


school-room  at  Lockwitz,  or  do  you  wish  to  convert 
my  house  into  a  school-room  ?  If  so,  you  had  better 
look  out  for  another  place,  for  I  want  none  of  your 
wisdom." 

"  It  is  not  my  wisdom  I  bring  you,"  quietly  replied 
Petermann.  "  It  is  the  wisdom  of  a  book,  to  which 
you  seem  to  have  become  somewhat  of  a  stranger.  I 
mean  the  holy  Scriptures." 

Guldenmeyer  passionately  arose  from  his  chair,  and 
exclaimed,  "  If  you  have  come  to  make  a  pietist  of  me, 
then  you  may  return  again  some  other  time." 

"Just  so,"  added  the  school-master;  "precisely  what 
Felix,  the  Tetrarch,  said  to  the  Apostle  Paul :  '  Go  thy 
way  for  this  time;  when  I  have  a  convenient  season,  I 
will  call  for  thee.'  However,  rest  easy,  my  old  friend; 
you  are  already  aware  that  I  do  not  so  easily  permit 
myself  to  be  frightened.  We  have  been  acquainted 
with  each  other  for  more  than  thirty  years,  and  know 
precisely  how  we  stand,  though  we  have  not  met  for 
more  than  ten  years,  if  we  except  the  last  few  weeks. 
You  already  know  why.  And  what  you  say  about  the 
pietists,  I  will  willingly  pardon  you,  for  the  reason  that 
you  are  utterly  ignorant  of  what  a  pietist  is." 

"  Nor  do  I  entertain  the  least  desire  to  find  it  out," 
replied  the  goldsmith,  as  he  resumed  his  seat. 

Petermann  now  seated  himself  a  little  more  comfort- 
ably on  his  chair,  crossed  his  legs  and  arms,  and  said, 
with  cold  composure,  "If  you  have  no  objection,  I  will 
relate  to  you  an  incident,  which  occurred  some  thirty 
years  ago,"  and,  without  waiting  for  a  reply,  continued: 
"  Well,  then,  about  thirty  years  ago,  there  lived  in  a 
certain  capital  of  our  holy  Roman  German  empire,  a 


l6o  PHIL  IP P   JACOB   SPENER. 

maiden,  by  name — well,  I  will  call  her  Beata;  for  so, 
at  least,  I  now  call  her  in  my  heart,  trusting  in  the 
mercy  of  God.  This  maiden  was  the  child  of  pious 
parents,  and,  as  wealth  and  piety  are  not  very  frequently 
found  together,  also  the  child  of  poor  parents.  This 
maiden,  morever,  had  a  brother,  whose  name  was  An- 
drew, just  like  my  own,  and  these  two  children  were 
their  parents'  only  treasure.  The  maiden  was  healthy 
and  vigorous  in  body  and  mind,  had  black  hair  and 
black  eyes,  and  grew  up  in  the  fear  and  admonition  of 
the  Lord.  She  had  already  attained  her  twentieth 
year,  without  knowing  that  there  are  men  on  earth 
who  speak  and  act  differently  from  what  they  think 
and  feel." 

"  You  can  save  yourself  the  trouble  of  relating  your 
story,"  interrupted  Guldenmeyer,  in  a  scornful  tone. 
"  It  is  the  same  old  story,  which  you  have  already 
more  than  once  repeated  to  me." 

"  Indeed  ?"  asked  Petermann.  "  Well,  that  must 
have  been  more  than  ten  years  ago;  for  it  is  this  long 
since  we  two  have  met  to  have  a  talk.  However,  I 
will  repeat  the  story,  with  a  few  additions  and  new 
expressions,  that  it  may  appear  to  you  as  new,  Beata 
was,  as  I  said,  twenty  years  of  age,  and  with  a  face  so 
beautiful,  that,  whenever  she  went  to  church,  which 
she  did  oftener  and  far  more  willingly  than  her  brother, 
both  old  and  young  delighted  to  gaze  at  her,  and 
would  say,  '  What  a  lovely  child  is  Beata !'  So  it 
happened,  at  a  certain  time,  that  her  brother  Andrew, 
in  a  company  of  jovial  fellows,  met  and  became 
acquainted  with  a  young  man,  by  name — yes,  I  will 
call  him  Sigismund;  for  he  could  talk  like  a  book,  and 


THE   VOICE  OF  CONSCIENCE.  jgj 

always  came  off  victorious  with  his  tongue  in  the 
presence  of  young  maidens.  I  say,  with  his  tongue; 
for  his  heart  knew  nothing  of  it." 

"I  do  not  wish  to  hear  your  story,"  again  inter- 
rupted the  artisan,  more  violently  than  before,  and 
rising  from  his  chair.  "  I  have  something  more 
important  to  think  about  and  do  just  now,  than  listen 
to  your  old  women's  gossip." 

"Old  women's  gossip!"  exclaimed  Petermann,  with 
earnestness.  "  God  preserve  you  from  this  old  women's 
gossip  rising  up  in  judgment  against  you,  so  that  you 
will  have  no  excuse.  As  God  liveth,  you  shall  listen 
to  my  story." 

And  without  hesitation  the  schoolmaster  continued, 
"But  this  young  fellow,  Sigismund,  was  the  son  of 
rich  parents,  dressed  splendidly,  and  drew  upon  him- 
self the  eyes  even  of  the  daughters  of  the  opulent  and 
noble.  One  day  he  told  Andrew,  that  he  loved  his 
sister  Beata  above  all  others,  and,  as  his  parents  urged 
him  to  find  himself  a  wife,  he  had  determined  to  take 
Miss  Beata.  Hereupon,  Andrew  went  to  his  sister,  and 
asked  her  whether  she  would  unite  herself  in  marriage 
with  young  Sigismund  ?  To  which  she  answered, 
"  Yes,"  for  she  was  sincerely  attached  to  him,  and  felt 
the  more  happy  because  she  had  never  supposed  that 
such  a  rich  citizen's  son  could  give  his  heart  to  so  poor 
a  maiden.  Andrew  then  introduced  young  Sigismund 
to  his  sister  (for  these  two  had  lost  both  their  parents, 
and  were  orphaned  and  forsaken,)  and,  joining  their 
hands  together,  said,  'Be  happy,  and  God  be  with 
you.'  " 

Here  Petermann  paused  and  drew  his  hand  across 


1 62  PHILIP P  JACOB    SPENER. 

his  eyes.  This  the  goldsmith  noticed  with  dark  and 
troubled  glances,  and  put  on  an  evidently  forced  look 
of  disdain,  like  one  who  endeavors  to  beat  down,  in  his 
own  heart,  some  rising  emotion  with  the  weapons  of 
irony.  At  length  he  turned  his  back  upon  the  school- 
master, and  muttered  to  himself,  "  It  v/as  not  my  fault 
that  it  turned  out  differently." 

Petermann  most  likely  did  not  hear  this ;  for  he 
continued  as  though  uninterrupted,  "For  some  time, 
these  two  affianced  young  people  lived  exceedingly 
happy.  Sigismund  could  scarcely  pass  a  day,  without 
seeing  his  bride,  and  Beata  assured  her  brother  Andrew, 
almost  daily,  that  her  happiness  was  too  great  to  last 
long.  And  she  was  right.  Sigismund  was  a  very 
skillful  goldsmith,  and  was,  according  to  the  wishes  of 
his  parents,  to  set  up  for  himself  He,  however, 
declined  for  the  present,  on  the  ground  of  desiring 
first  to  spend  a  year  at  Augsburg  with  the.  celebrated 
Dullinger,  for  the  purpose  of  perfecting  himself  still 
further  in  his  art.  This  he  did.  Sigismund  took 
leave  of  his  bride,  and  said,  in  parting,  '  As  surely  as 
I  hope  that  God  will  not  forsake  me,  so  surely  will  I 
also  not  forsake  you.' " 

"That  is  not  true,"  Guldenmeyer  protested  vehe- 
mently, but  immediately  added,  in  a  calmer  tone,  "  and, 
even  if  true,  it  is  no  fault  of  mine." 

"  What  do  yo7i  know  about  this  story .?"  asked 
Petermann,  in  a  tone  of  melancholy  bitterness.  "  I 
promised  you  that  I  would  relate  it  with  new  chosen 
expressions.  Wait,  therefore,  till  I  have  done.  Sigis- 
mund went  to  Augsburg,  whence  he  soon  despatched 
a  very  tender  letter  to  his  bride.     The  second  letter 


THE    VOICE  OF  CONSCIENCE. 


163 


arrived  only  after  an  interval  of  two  months,  from 
which  it  was  evident  that  the  tender  feelings  of  the 
writer  were  tending  somewhat  toward  the  freezing- 
point.  Three  months  after  this,  the  third  letter  came 
to  hand,  and  in  this  Sigismund  wrote,  '  I  am  extremely 
sorry  that  I  can  no  longer  cherish  the  same  tender 
love  for  Beata  that  I  did  before.  This  must  doubtless 
be  owing  to  the  fact  of  our  separation,  and  as  besides 
my  parents  have  given  their  consent  only  with  great 
reluctance  to  our  marriage,  and  since  I,  as  a  dutiful 
and  obedient  son,  feel  exceedingly  anxious  to  enter 
that  niost  important  relation  with  the  blessing  of  my 
parents,  (for  the  blessing  of  the  father  establisheth  the 
houses  of  children,  but  the  curse  of  the  mother  rooteth 
out  foundations,)  and  since  it  is  still  time  to  make  a 
change,  I  thank  Beata  sincerely  for  the  great  confi- 
dence she  has  reposed  in  me,  and  wish,  with  all  my 
heart,  that  it  may  ever  fare  well  with  her.  My  engage- 
ment ring  I  return  enclosed  to  her ;  whilst  she,  if  such 
will  afford  her  any  pleasure,  may  retain  the  one  she 
received  from  me,  and  wear  it  for  my  sake." 

"  You  lie  !"  exclaimed  the  goldsmith,  in  an  unmis- 
takable rage,  "  your  pietistical  tongue  perverts  every- 
thing." 

"  Guldenmeyer !"  exclaimed  the  schoolmaster  in  a 
loud  voice,  at  the  same  time  drawing  forth  from  his 
pocket-book  a  soiled  and  shabby-looking  letter,  "  do 
you  know  this  letter,  and  the  hand  that  penned  it  ?  and 
this  ring,  which  I  have  myself  attached  to  this  letter 
in  affectionate  remembrance  of  her  ?" 

The  goldsmith  turned  pale  at  the  sight  of  such  wit- 
nesses, and   said   with  an   insolent,  but   by  no  means 


164  PHIL  IP P   JACOB   SPENER. 

steady  look :  "  I  have  not  dishonored  her.  Had  she 
not  degraded  herself,  my  love  would  have  returned  to 
her." 

"  Slanderer  !"  cried  Petermann,  scarcely  able  to  con- 
tain himself.  "God  will  judge  betwixt  you  and  her." 
And  then,  his  anger  suddenly  giving  way,  whilst  glist- 
ening tears  gushed  from  his  eyes,  he  looked  up,  and 
extending  his  hands  toward  heaven,  solemnly  said: 
"  Sainted  sister,  thou  art  beyond  the  reach  of  the  igno- 
miny and  shame  of  this  world.  God  has  more  merci- 
fully judged  thee  than  this  man's  callous  heart." 

Guldenmeyer  cast  an  angry  look  at  his  visitor,  rose 
from  his  chair,  went  toward  the  door,  and  said  :  "If  you 
like,  sir  schoolmaster,  to  occupy  my  room,  you  are 
perfectly  welcome  to  do  so ;  as  for  myself,  I  have  other 
affairs  requiring  my  attention." 

But  Petermann  sprung  from  his  chair,  seized  the  gold- 
smith as  with  the  arm  of  a  giant,  and  said  :  "  Gulden- 
meyer, you  know  the  strength  of  this  arm !  I  bid  you 
stay,  and  as  God  lives,  you  shall  sidiy.  You  must  hear 
my  story  to  the  end."  And  he  drew  him  back  to  his 
chair  with  his  strong  hand,  and,  with  calm  composure, 
resumed :  "  Sigismund  after  a  few  years  returned,  and 
in  two  months  betrothed  himself  to  the  very  handsome 
daughter  of  the  wealthy  Mr.*  Hammerlin.  That  was 
an  occasion  of  great  hilarity  and  joy.  The  trumpets 
sounded,  as  if  the  wedding  was  already  in  progress, 
though  owing  to  certain  difficulties,  it  did  not  take 
place,  as  you  are  aware,  until  two  years  later.  But  on 
the  self-same  day,  on  which  the  parents  of  the  newly 
affianced  pair  sat  in  consultation  as  to  the  amount  of 
the  dowry  their  children  were  respectively  to  receive,  a 


THE    VOICE   OF  CONSCIENCE. 


165 


few  peasants  brought  to  the  city  a  young  girl  whom 
they  had  found  sitting  under  a  tree  upon  the  open  heath, 
returning  not  a  single  answer  to  all  their  questions,  but 
persistently  engaged  in  shifting  a  gold  ring  from  one 
finger  to  another.  They  had  taken  pity  on  her,  and 
brought  her  to  the  city,  where  they  soon  discovered 
that  her  brother's  name  was  Andrew.  He  took  his 
sister  to  his  home,  and  asked  her,  '  Dear  Sister,  why 
are  you  so  haggard  and  pale,  and  why  do  you  act  as 
if  you  no  longer  knew  your  brother?'  She,  however, 
made  him  no  answer,  but  continued  shifting  her  gold 
ring  from  one  finger  to  another.  Then  Andrew  knew 
that  his  sister  had  lost  her  reason." 

With  these  words  Petermann's  voice  became  faint 
and  trembling;  he  bowed  his  head  upon  his  breast 
and  wept  bitterly.  Guldenmeyer  sat  as  if  riveted  to 
his  chair;  it  seemed,  indeed,  once  or  twice,  as  if  he 
wanted  to  get  up  and  go  away,  but  he  had  not  the 
courage,  and  said  to  himself,  with  a  frown :  "  If  I  have 
done  a  wrong,  I  have  made  amends  a  thousand  times." 

The  schoolmaster  composed  himself  again,  and  con- 
tinued :  "After  this,  Andrew  did  not  leave  his  sister 
day  or  night;  for,  beside  him,  she  had  not  a  soul  on 
earth  who  cared  for  her.  And  when  Andrew  had  oc- 
casion to  go  abroad,  he  would  lock  the  door  and  leave 
his  sister  alone.  But  on  a  certain  day,  when  suddenly 
summoned  before  the  court-physician.  Dr.  Burger,  he 
forgot  to  lock  the  door,  and  when  he  returned  he 
found  his  sister  gone.  He  tore  his  hair,  sent  out 
messengers,  and  ran  about  in  every  direction  like  one 
distracted;  but  all  in  vain.  Andrew  mourned  her  as 
dead.     He  indulged  in  bitter  self-reproaches,  and  grief 


1 56  PHILIP P  JACOB  SPENER. 

nearly  broke  his  heart.  Alas !  why  was  she  not  dead  ? 
Nearly  a  month  after,  some  peasants  brought  again  to 
the  city  a  young  maiden  whom  they  had  found  wan- 
dering alone  and  forlorn  through  the  forest.  She  was 
Andrew's  sister.  The  brother  asked  her  where  she 
had  been  so  long,  but  she  was  silent  as  before,  and 
shifted,  as  before,  her  golden  ring  from  one  finger  to 
another.  Some  months  after  this  she  died,  after  having 
first  given  birth  to  a  boy;  and  on  the  day  of  her  burial 
the  shrill  blast  of  the  trumpet  sounded  loud  and  long, 
for  young  Sigismund  celebrated  his  wedding  with  the 
beautiful  daughter  of  the  wealthy  Mr.  Hammerlin." 

"Are  you  done?"  asked  the  goldsmith,  attempting 
a  scornful  smile.  "And  what  is  the  purpose  of  this 
old  story  ?  That  I  was  in  no  way  implicated  in  the 
degradation  of  your  sister,  the  whole  city  bears  me 
witness.  Should,  however,  as  you  give  me  to  under- 
stand, any  guilt  attach  to  me  on  account  of  this  dread- 
ful thing  having  come  to  pass,  I  can  only  say  that  I 
have  already  made  amends.  I  took  your  sister's  son 
when  he  was  still  a  babe  ;  took  him  as  if  he  were  my 
own  child,  and  forbade  all,  under  a  severe  penalty,  to 
tell  him  that  he  was  not  my  son;  and  he  does  not 
know  it  to  this  day,  nor  will  he  ever  know  it.  For 
you  yourself  made  the  proposition  to  me,  in  order,  as 
you  expressed  it,  that  the  child  might  not  be  disgraced 
by  the  memory  of  his  mother.  I  consented,  though 
no  one  could  have  compelled  me  to  it.  I  spent  a 
large  amount  of  money  on  his  education.  I  sent  him 
three  years,  at  great  expense,  to  Italy,  and  have  done 
much  more  for  him  than  for  my  own  child,  my  Eliza- 
beth ;    yea,  I  have  done  more  than  I  was  able,  and  I 


THE    VOICE  OF  CONSCIENCE. 


167 


suffer  greatly  for  it  now.  And  still  you  are  not  satis- 
fied ;  still  you  rehash  your  old  long-forgotten  story, 
and  act  as  if  I  were  greatly  in  your  debt.  It  is  you 
who  are  George's  uncle,  his  mother's  brother;  he  is 
your  sister's  child,  and  not  mine." 

"  How  much  have  you  done,  Mr.  Sigismund  Gul- 
denmeyer,"  said  Petermann,  with  cold  irony,  "  more 
than  you  owed  ?  You  deceived,  with  your  pretended 
love,  a  poor  but  virtuous  girl.  You  cast  her  off  with- 
out cause  or  provocation;  you  broke  her  heart  and 
drove  her  to  madness.  You  are  to  blame  that,  in  her 
madness,  she  became  the  victim  of  a  miscreant.  You 
are  the  cause  of  her  untimely  death,  stained  with  igno- 
miny and  shame !  All  this  is,  of  course,  very  little  in 
comparison  to  the  large  amount  of  money  which  you 
have  spent  for  George's  education,  or  rather  for  the 
silencing  of  your  evil  conscience." 

"  It  is  now  about  time  that  you  set  bounds  to  your 
venom !"  exclaimed  Guldenmeyer,  in  a  violent  passion. 
"  1  will  have  nothing  more  to  do  with  you." 

"  But  I  so  much  the  more  with  you,"  continued 
Petermann,  with  icy  composure.  "  Softly,  Mr.  Sigis- 
mund, I  have  still  somewhat  to  tell  you.  Your  daugh- 
ter knows  that  George  is  not  her  brother " 

"  Who  is  the  infamous  betrayer  ?"  quickly  inter- 
rupted Guldenmeyer. 

"  I,"  quietly  replied  George's  uncle ;  "  and  I  had  my 
good  reasons  for  doing  it ;  and  I,  moreover,  tell  you 
that  you  will  not  give  your  daughter  in  marriage  to 
Master  Nullenbrecher." 

The  goldsmith  smiled  ironically  and  said,  "  Mr. 
Schoolmaster,  the  loss  of  reason  is  doubtless  an  hered- 
itary' malady  in  your  family." 


1 68  PHILIPP  JACOB    SPENER. 

These  words  affected  Petermann  like  an  electric 
shock.  It  seemed  as  if  some  wonder-working  agent 
had  suddenly  deprived  him  of  his  former  boldness.  He 
cast  a  mournful  look  upon  the  goldsmith,  drew'  his 
trembling  hand  across  his  brow  and  eyes,  and  then  let 
it  fall  as  if  powerless.  A  shade  of  deep  melancholy 
overspread  his  countenance,  and  in  a  painful  tone  of 
entreaty,  which  indicated  plainly  that  the  memory  of 
his  unfortunate  sister,  so  suddenly  awakened  in  his 
mind,  reverted  upon  his  own  soul  with  a  crushing 
weight,  he  said  almost  with  the  piteous  persuasion  of  a 
little  child,  "  Mr.  Guldenmeyer,  I  have  still  something 
to  communicate  to  you.  I  know  your  daughter  Eliza- 
beth loves  my  sainted  sister's  son  with  all  the  fervor  of 
her  heart,  and  George  does  not  yet  even  suspect  that 
his  love  to  her  arises  from  a  different  cause  than  that 
of  being  her  brother.  You  will  make  two  beings 
happy,  if  you  will  give  your  blessing  to  their  union  ; 
yea,  I  venture  to  add  that,  by  placing  the  hand  of  her 
son  into  that  of  your  daughter,  you  will  cancel  the  last 
debt  you  owe  to  my  sainted  sister.  Will  you  do  it, 
Guldenmeyer?" 

However  bitter  the  sorrow,  and  pathetic  the  plead- 
ing, which  these  words  expressed,  they  produced  upon 
Guldenmeyer  the  very  opposite  effect  from  that  which 
had  been  intended.  For  no  sooner  had  he  noticed  that 
Petermann  resorted  to  entreaty,  than  he  felt  himself 
released  from  the  shackles  of  fear  which  that  powerful 
man  had  thrown  around  him,  and  perceived  with  ill- 
concealed  joy  the  advantage  he  had  gained  over  him. 
This  inspired  him  with  courage  to  abide  by  what  had 
long  been  his  darling  wish,  and  to  accomplish  which 


THE    VOICE  OF  CONSCIENCE. 


169 


he  had  already  made  so  many  sacrifices.  "  Never,"  he 
rephed,  in  a  firmer  and  more  decided  manner  than  be- 
fore, "as  long  as  I  live!  And  if  my  child  desires  to 
bear  her  father's  curse  to  all  eternity,  she  may  do  it 
after  my  death." 

"  Guldenmeyer,"  replied  the  schoolmaster,  in  the 
same  tone  of  pathetic  entreaty,  "  let  me  impart  to  you 
yet  another  secret.  Do  you  know  who  George's 
father  is  ?" 

"No  !"  sullenly  replied  the  goldsmith. 

"Well,  then,  listen,"  continued  Petermann.  "About 
ten  years  ago  there  came  to  me  late  one  night,  from  a 
certain  village  distant  about  two  leagues  from  this  city, 
a  messenger  with  the  request  that  I  would  come  in- 
stantly to  the  bed  of  a  dying  man.  I  went.  The  dying 
man,  amid  a  flood  of  tears,  confessed  himself  to  me  to 
be  George's  father,  and  asked  me,  by  the  mercy  of  God, 
to  pardon  him  in  the  name  of  my  sister — that  he  could 
not  die  without  forgiveness.  In  great  agony  I  did  as 
he  requested,  and  in  an  hour  after  the  poor  wretch  was 
a  corpse.  Do  you  know  the  man's  name  ?  His  name 
was  Langendorf,  and  his  sons,  who  serve  here  as  cour- 
tiers, are  George's  brothers.  Guldenmeyer,  believe 
me,  if  only  this  once !  You  intend  to  give  your 
daughter  in  marriage  to  Master  Nullenbrecher ;  very 
well  !  But  do  you  know  that  his  cousin,  the  courtier, 
meditates  nothing  less  than  to  bring  your  daughter  to 
shame  ?  A  Langendorf  has  dishonored  and  ruined  my 
sister,  your  once  affianced  bride ;  can  you  suffer  your 
own  child  to  become  the  victim  of  a  Langendorf — you 
who  once  loved  the  poor,  unfortunate  girl  ?  And  this 
will  happen ;  for  Nullenbrecher  is  only  the  creature  of 


Ijro  PHILIPP    JACOB   SPENER. 

this  dishonorable  knight,  a  man  to  whom  nothing  on 
earth  is  sacred,  save  the  letter  of  his  deplorable  con- 
ceit." 

"  Spare  your  calumny!"  rejoined  the  goldsmith,  in  the 
consciousness  of  the  advantage  he  had  gained,  "  Your 
motives  are  too  transparent  not  to  be  penetrated.  My 
child  must  obey  inc,  and  no  one  else  !  This  is  my  prin- 
ciple, Mr.  Schoolmaster." 

Petermann  writhed  as  if  under  the  influence  of 
a  spasm ;  but  he  suppressed  his  anger,  and  pro- 
ceeded calmly  and  beseechingly :  "  Mr.  Guldenmeyer, 
I  know  what  it  is  that  just  now  so  much  op- 
presses you.  Since  the  death  of  your  sainted  wife, 
your  domestic  affairs  have  not  appeared  to  prosper,  or 
rather  they  have  taken  such  a  turn  that  you  are  no 
longer  the  rich  goldsmith  you  once  were.  I  know 
that  you  are  sorely  pressed  by  your  creditors,  and  that 
Mr.  Bennhofer,  especially,  who  would  like  to  possess 
your  house,  has,  for  that  reason,  taken  out  a  summons 
against  you.  If  he  persist,  the  rest  of  your  creditors 
will  join  him,  and,  in  that  case,  there  will  be  little  left 
to  you,  except  your  cane,  with  which  alone  it  is  not 
quite  so  easy  to  get  through  the  world,  especially  in 
your  old  days.  Guldenmycr,  do  not  reject  the  hand 
which  would  save  you — do  not  reject  me.  I  have, 
with  many  a  drop  of  sweat,  acquired  and  saved  a  little 
money,  and  besides  received,  a  few  days  ago,  a  small 
legacy  from  my  aunt;  I  have  not  told  any  one,  but  I 
tell  you,  that  I  possess  five  thousand  dollars.  Accept 
it  from  me,  and  with  it  save  your  name  and  reputation 
from  disgrace,  and  fulfil  my  last  and  greatest  wish  on 
earth,  by  making  two  beings  happy  with  your  blessing." 


THE    VOICE  OF  CONSCIENCE. 


171 


The  goldsmith  presented,  during  this  unexpected 
speech,  an  image  of  the  most  contradictory  emotions  : 
vexation  and  joy,  rage  and  hope,  shame  and  fear  and 
pride,  were  expressed  alternately  in  his  features  and 
motions.  The  better  spirit  had  once  more  seized 
upon  his  soul,  but  it  did  not  conquer.  False  shame, 
as  well  as  false  pride,  gained  the  victory,  and  he  replied 
scornfully  and  with  derision  :  "  How  cunning  you  are, 
Mr.  Schoolmaster.  You  seem  to  know  all  about  my 
circumstances,  and  have  certainly  ferreted  them  out 
in  a  masterly  manner.  But  you  have,  nevertheless, 
miscalculated  !  Miserable  trafficker  in  souls  !  You  want 
to  buy  my  child  of  me !  And  for  whom  ?  For  a  boy 
who  has  brought  me  so  far  down  that  I  have  ceased 
to  be  called  the  rich  goldsmith ;  whom,  in  an  evil 
hour,  and  moved  by  pity,  I  took  into  my  house ;  who, 
for  a  long  time,  brought  me  a  bad  name,  not  only  with 
my  sainted  wife,  but  also  with  my  friends  and  acquaint- 
ances, because  they  supposed  him  to  be  my  own  son ; 
and  who,  for  the  last  twenty  years,  has  marred  my 
domestic  peace !  Fool  that  I  was,  and  blind !  Only 
now  I  see  what  an  enemy  I  have  been  to  myself,  by 
nursing  a  viper  in  my  bosom!  I  tell  you,  I  hate  the 
fellow  from  the  very  bottom  of  my  soul!  He  shall 
leave  my  house  this  very  day !  Take  him  with  you ; 
he  has,  as  to  my  great  joy  I  have  lately  been  informed, 
splendid  talents  for  a  pietist,  and  could,  consequently, 
not  do  better  than  to  place  himself  under  your  instruc- 
tion, in  which  position  he  would  learn  how  to  traffic 
in  souls.  Yes,  shame  on  me,  that  I  was  blind  enough 
to  conceal  the  dishonor  of  a  wanton !  Take  him 
along  with  you  forthwith,  your  apprentice  and  protege, 
the  offspring  of  a  vile  woman." 


1^2  PHILIP P  JACOB  SPENER. 

Petermann  stood  as  though  petrified;  his  whole 
body  then  trembled,  his  hands  moved  in  undetermined 
rage ;  a  strong  temptation  came  over  him.  But  the 
good  Spirit  of  the  Lord  touched  his  heart.  Down  his 
pale  cheeks,  fiarrowed  with  pain  and  grief,  coursed  a 
tear  of  the  deepest  anguish.  He  turned  his  eyes 
upward,  folded  his  hands  and  said :  "  Father,  forgive 
us  our  trespasses,  as  we  forgive  those  who  trespass 
against  us,"  and  then  passed  slowly  out  of  the  room. 


CHAPTER    IX, 


THE    MORTAL    WOOING. 


"But  after  thy  hardness  and  impenitent  heart    treasurest  up  unto 
thyself  wrath  against  the  day  of  wrath." — Rom.  ii.  5. 

SHORTLY  after  the  above  incident,  we  again  meet 
the  worthy  Master  Nullenbrecher  in  the  house  of 
the  goldsmith.  Something  must  have  greatly  vexed 
him,  for  he  looked  gloomy  and  reserved  as  he  walked 
along  Pirna  street  from  the  new  market.  He  had 
passed  many  of  his  acquaintances  without  either  salut- 
ing them  or  returning  their  salutations,  described,  with 
his  long  arms  and  bony  fingers,  all  manner  of  strange 
figures  in  the  air,  and  forgotten  to  notice  even  that  the 
silver  buckles  of  his  elegant  shoes  were  thickly  cov- 
ered with  dust  and  dirt.  Without  a  word  of  greeting 
he  entered  the  room  of  his  future  father-in-law,  ex- 
claiming, "  Woe  unto  you,  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  hyp- 
ocrites; for  ye  shut  up  the  kingdom  of  heaven  against 
men  ;  for  ye  neither  go  in  yourselves,  neither  suffer  ye 
them  that  are  entering  to  go  in"  (Matthew  xxiii.  verse 
1 3) ;  and  with  this  he  walked,  in  great  excitement,  up 
and  down  the  room. 

"  What  mean  you  by  this  ?"  asked  the  goldsmith, 
not  just  in  the  most  courteous  manner.  "  I  pray  you. 
Master,  deal  somewhat  gently  with  me  to-day,  by 
reason  of  my  head  being  already  somewhat  heated." 

"  Only  think,"  continued  Nullenbrecher,  without 
paying    particular   attention    to    the    other's    request, 

(173) 


174  PHIL  IP P  JACOB  SPENER. 

"  only  think,  Mr.  Guldenmeyer,  my  plans  have  fallen 
through.  My  hope  has  become  like  a  spider's  web, 
beth  acabisdi,  as  may  be  read  in  Job.  But  woe  to  the 
rebellious  children,  that  take  counsel,  but  not  of  me, 
and  that  cover  with  a  covering,  but  not  of  my  Spirit, 
that  they  may  add  sin  to  sin,  as  saith  Isaiah,  chapter 

XXX." 

"Of  whom  do  you  speak?"  asked  the  goldsmith,  in 
a  harsh  and  angry  tone.  "  Of  whom,  if  you  will  con- 
descend to  explain  yourself  a  little  intelligibly — " 

"  Of  whom  ?"  repeated  the  Master.  "  Of  whom  ? 
There  is  only  one  in  the  city  who  adds  sin  to  sin.  I 
speak  of  that  pietist,  kaf  exochin ;  of  the  patriarch  of 
the  pietists." 

"I  plainly  perceive,"  rudely  exclaimed  Guldenmeyer, 
"you  are  determined  to  keep  your  great  secret  to 
yourself,  and  I  am  sure  I  have  no  special  desire  to 
know  it."  And,  having  said  this,  he  made  a  motion 
as  if  he  intended  to  leave  the  room. 

"Stay,  Mr.  Guldenmeyer,  I  pray  you!"  exclaimed 
the  Master,  "  and  comfort  me,  if  you  can.  Do  you 
know  who  has  been  preferred  to  me  ?  Do  you  wish 
to  know  who  ?  One  who  is  not  worthy  to  unloose  my 
shoe-latchet !  But  he  possesses  other  important  quali- 
fications ;  he  wears  no  wig,  he  wears  no  embroidered 
neckerchief,  he  wears  no  metal  buckles  on  his  shoes,  but 
prays  daily  seven  times  seven  times,  seventy  times  seven 
times,  as  Matthew  tells  us.  Stay,  Mr.  Guldenmeyer,  I 
beseech  you,"  he  continued,  when  he  perceived  that 
the  goldsmith  was  angrily  turning  away  from  him. 
"  Give  me  this  one  comfort ;  for  you  must  know  that 
Rothner,    that    contemptible    Rothner,    the    pietistic 


THE   MORTAL    WOOING. 


175 


amanuensis  of  the  pietistic  chief,  the  soft,  smooth  gen- 
tleman, with  the  unembroidered  neckerchief  and  the 
long  fair  hair,  has  become  pastor  of  Altleben;  and  I — 
I,  who  in  Grczcis  et  Latinis,  in  He  braids  et  Chaldaicis — 
I ;  no,  Guldenmeyer,  Have  you  no  consolation  for 
me  ?" 

"  Is  that  it  ?"  exclaimed  the  goldsmith,  drawing  sev- 
eral steps  nearer.  "  You  are,  then,  not  going  to  Alt- 
leben, and  can,  consequently,  not  yet  get  married. 
That  is  bad,  very  bad,  just  now;  beyond  all  measure, 
bad." 

"  Yea,  verily  bad,"  added  the  Master,  who  did  not 
comprehend  in  what  sense  the  artisan  meant  it.  "  Bad 
for  me,  bad  for  your  daughter ;  but  worst  of  all,  bad 
for  the  church.  What  is  there  to  hope  for  the  victory 
over  the  apocalyptical  beast,  what  for  the  lustre  of 
Protestant  learning,  if  such  canting  weaklings  are  to 
feed  Christ's  flock?  And  all  this  through  that  man, 
who,  himself  a  barbarus  in  Uteris,  should  have  become 
a  schoolmaster,  and  not  a  court-chaplain.  Oh,  have 
you  nothing  to  say  that  can  soothe  me,  dear  Gulden- 
meyer ?" 

"  I  should  think,"  rejoined  the  artisan,  with  a  short 
and  bitter  smile,  "  that  all  this  was  already  sufficiently 
sedative,  both  for  you  and  me."  He  paced  up  and 
down  the  room,  with  his  hand  to  his  brow,  and  said, 
rather  to  himself,  "Just  to-day,  just  now;  but — should 
it  cost  me  my  life,  I  will  not  yield !"  Then,  suddenly 
assuming  a  cheerful  look,  he  said  to  the  Master,  "  Do 
not  let  this  affair  trouble  you  too  much.  If  it  be  not 
to-day,  it  may  be  to-morrow ;  that's  my  principle.  And 
since  you  have  expressed  a  desire  for  something  of  the 


1^6  PHILIPP  JACOB    SPENER. 

nature  of  a  sedative,  I  will  tell  you  that  I  have  still 
something  of  a  buzzing  in  my  head — one  of  those 
freaks  to  which  one  is  apt  to  be  subject.  Only  wait  a 
little ;  we  will  soon  drive  out  these  unclean  spirits." 

"Dceviones  inipiu^os,  as  is  written  in  Luke,  chapter 
the  fourth,"  the  Master  repeated. 

But  Guldenmeyer  took  from  a  shelf  above  the  door 
a  large,  heavy  cooper-knife,  and  said,  "  This  time  I  will 
go  myself  I  have,  down  there,  still  something,  well 
sealed  and  secured  for  a  time  of  need,  that  shall  settle 
both  of  us  soundly."     And  he  left  the  room. 

Nullenbrecher,  in  the  mean  time,  paced  up  and 
down,  and  soliloquized,  "What  good  have  I  now  of  all 
my  labor,  my  night-watchings,  my  sweat  and  my  toil, 
with  which  I  have  already  cleaned  and  examined  my 
text  and  worked  it  up  into  a  theme  ?  Could  I  have 
selected  a  more  appropriate  text  than  that  found  in  the 
Prophet  Jeremiah,  50th  chapter,  verses  22  and  23:  ^A 
sound  of  battle  is  in  the  land,  and  of  great  destruction. 
Hozu  is  the  hammer  of  the  zvhole  earth  cut  asunder  and 
broken  !  How  is  Babylon  become  a  desolation  among  tJu 
nations  f  How  forcibly,  how  pointedly,  how  poeti- 
cally have  I  arranged  the  theme : 

"  '  The  war-hammer,  broken  by  the  sound  of  bat- 
tle, AGAIN  RESTORED  !' 

"The  sound  of  battle  in  the  land,  kol  milchamah; 
this  is  the  clamor  of  the  pietists  in  Saxonland ;  baarez, 
the  great  destruction,  schdber  gadol.  Here  I  might 
have  shown  how  Luther  has  incorrectly  translated;  for 
scJidber  is  fractio,  syntribe,  syntrimma,  as  also  the  Sep- 
tuaguinta  has  rendered  it;  therefore  the  breach,  which 
this  pietistic  sect  has  caused  in  the  Evangelical  Church. 


THE   MORTAL    WOOING. 


177 


And  the  war-hammer,  patisch  baarcz,  this  is  the  ham- 
mer of  learning,  as  may  be  seen  from  Jeremiah  23  :  'Is 
not  my  word  like  as  a  fire,  and  like  a  Jiarnmer  that 
breaketh  the  rock  in  pieces  ?'  Which  means  Spener  and 
his  whole  sect,  with  their  hypocrisy !  And,  in  the  first 
part,  I  would  have  raised  the  war-cry,  and  in  the  second, 
shown  clearly  how  the  mighty  war-hammer — I  mean, 
sancta  theologia polemica — shall  break  all  the  wicked  and 
perverse  in  pieces.  But  now  all  is  useless — defeat,  in- 
stead of  victory.  How  long  is  the  abomination  of 
desolation  yet  to  last — bdelygma,  as  it  is  called  in  Mat- 
thew ?" 

The  Master,  who  had  here  interrupted  his  learned 
groans,  and  was  pacing  silently  up  and  down,  gesticu- 
lating, however,  with  his  arms,  as  if  he  were  laying 
about  with  the  broken  and  again  restored  war-hammer, 
was  just  in  the  act  of  resuming  his  homiletical  solilo- 
quy, when  the  goldsmith,  holding  in  one  hand  the 
cooper-knife,  and  in  the  other  a  large  mug  brimful, 
re-entered,  and  exclaiming,  "  Now,  my  dear  Master, 
here  is  a  sedative,"  placed  the  wine  upon  the  table. 

It  requires,  of  course,  no  special  mention,  that  the 
Master  interposed  no  very  strong  objection  against  this 
invitation,  nor  that  both  were  soon  earnestly  engaged 
in  alternately  settling  what  had  arisen  in  their  respec- 
tive hearts  and  consciences :  in  the  heart  of  the  Master, 
vexation,  anger,  passion  and  rage,  together  with  a  tinct- 
ure of  resentment;  in  the  conscience  of  the  artisan,  a 
loud,  uncomfortably  disquieting  voice,  out  of  the  long 
past,  transient  penitence  and  persevering  obstinacy. 
Both  these  desperate  drinkers  persisted,  amid  conversa- 
tion in  which  Guldenmeyer  wisely  abstained  from  let- 
8* 


178  PHILIPP  JACOB   SPENER. 

ting  his  guest  see  the  bottom  of  his  heart  as  clearly  as 
he  permitted  him  to  see  that  of  his  glass,  in  the  busi- 
ness of  solacing  themselves,  until  they  had  nothing  left 
but  an  empty  mug. 

"Who  knows,"  here  remarked  the  goldsmith,  ''when 
it  will  ever  again  happen,  that  we  two  may  have  such 
special  cause  to  comfort  our  hearts  with  wine  ?  What 
say  you,  Master,  to  taking  another  dose  of  this  sedative, 
which,  as  I  perceive,  seems  so  fully  to  meet  your  ap- 
probation ?  It  may  serve,  perhaps,  as  a  preventive 
against  future  attacks." 

" y^ajin  simmach  Icbav  enosch"  answered  Nullen- 
brecher,  with  a  comfortable  smile ;  for  the  wine  was 
just  about  beginning  to  open  the  lid  of  his  knowledge- 
box;  "which,  being  interpreted,  means.  Wine  maketh 
glad  the  heart  of  man." 

"  Never  mind  your  learning  to-day,"  exclaimed  the 
goldsmith.  "  I  am,  just  now,  calling  to  mind  another 
subject,  which  we  will  discuss  as  soon  as  I  shall  have 
brought  the  second  dose." 

And,  as  he  soon  after  returned  with  the  newly- 
replenished  mug,  he  remained  standing  before  his 
learned  guest,  with  an  air  of  importance,  and  said, 
"  Master  NuUenbrecher,  my  dearly  beloved  friend,  and 
especially  highly  esteemed  son-in-law,  it  is  true,  the 
very  praise-worthy  Consistory  has  left  you  in  the  lurch 
this  time,  a  circumstance  which  is  not  very  agreeable 
to  me;  but,  that  you  may  see  that  I  am  still  as  good  as 
my  word,  we  will,  nevertheless,  if  it  prove  otherwise 
acceptable  to  you,  celebrate  this  very  day,  yea,  this 
very  moment,  your  betrothal.     Are  you  agreed  ?" 

"  Verily,"  replied  NuUenbrecher,  with  a  deep  sigh, 


THE   MORTAL    WOOING.   •  lyg 

"what   King   Solomon   says  in  his   canticles,  chapter  // 

fourth,  concerning  Christ's  bride,  even  that  does  my 
soul  address  in  spirit  to  your  daughter :  '  Tii  inihi  cor 
vulnerasti  mea  sororada  sponsa!  '  Thou  hast  ravished,' 
as  Luther  renders  it, '  Thou  hast  ravished  my  heart,  my 
sister,  my  spouse.'  *  Tii  mihi  cor  vulnerasti  altera  ocel- 
lorum  tuorum,  altera  coinariim  tucz  cerviculoe!  *  Thou 
hast  ravished  my  heart  with  one  of  thine  eyes,  with 
one  chain  of  thy  neck.'  Can  there  be  any  words  bet- 
ter suited  to  your  daughter  and  myself  than  these  ? 
Yes,  with  one  chain  of  her  neck  hath  she  ravished  my 
heart." 

"  It  is  a  piece  of  my  own  workmanship,"  added  the 
goldsmith,  flattered  by  the  allusion.  "  My  Elizabeth 
has  two  neck-chains,  and  I  would  like  to  see  the  earl's 
daughter  who  can  show  any  finer.  You  shall  see 
directly." 

And,  leaving  his  guest  in  a  state  of  uncertainty 
whether  he  meant  his  daughter  or  her  neck-chain,  he 
seized  his  well-known  staff,  and  thumped  with  it 
against  the  ceiling.  Soon  after  the  obedient  daughter 
entered,  with  great  trepidation,  as  if  she  had  a  presen- 
timent of  what  was  about  to  happen. 

"  Tu  Thirza  formosior"  exclaimed  Nullenbrecher, 
heated  and  emboldened  by  wine,  "  arnica  mea.  Thou 
art  beautiful,  O  my  love,  as  Thirza,  tu  Hierosolyma 
venustior ;  comely  as  Jerusalem,  as  it  is  written  in 
Canticles,  chapter  6th." 

"  Come  nearer,  my  child,"  said  the  father,  address- 
ing her,  as  the  poor  girl  stopped  timidly  near  the 
door.  "  Come  nearer,  Elizabeth,  and  pledge  us  in  a 
cj^lass." 


l8o  PHILIP P  JACOB   SPENER. 

"  You  know,  dear  father,"  she  repHed,  "  that  I  never 
drink  wine." 

"That  is  not  right,  my  most  honored  Miss,"  said  the 
Master.  "  Know  you  not  what  the  son  of  Sirach  says, 
in  his  31st  chapter:  ^Qiiid  est  vita,  si  non  est  vinum? 
What  is  Hfe  without  wine  ?" 

Without  noticing  him,  Elizabeth  turned  to  her 
father,  and  said,  in  a  tone  of  almost  melancholy  en- 
treaty, "  If  you  want  nothing  further  with  me,  dear 
father,  permit  me  to  retire.  The  house  is  open,  and 
brother  George  is  absent;  and  beside,  I  have  just  now 
something  important  to  attend  to." 

"Ay,  not  as  important  as  what    I  wish  you  to  do 

here,"  interrupted  the  father,  less  kindly  than  before. 

"  And  you  shall  hear  directly  why  you  are  to  remain, 

and  what  I  expect  you  to  do.     However,  that  is,  first 

of  all,  your  business.  Master  Nullenbrecher." 

t      Nullenbrecher  understood  the  hint,  and,  excited  and 

(   encouraged  by  love  and  wine,  he  arose  from  his  chair, 

1  coughed  a  little,  and  began,  "  Dearest,  most  charming 

/  Miss     Elizabeth,    Solomon     says:     ' Hinnag,   japhah 

rajathi,  Jiinnag  japhali !    Einaig  jojiini^  which  means: 

'  Behold,  thou  art  fair,  my  love ;  behold,  thou  art  fair ! 

Thou  hast  doves'  eyes  within  thy  locks.'     The  original 

has  only:  'Thy  eyes  are  doves';  however — '  " 

"  Never  mind  that  now,"  interrupted  the  artisan, 
smiling.  "  You  always  forget  that  your  learning  is 
sadly  out  of  place  with  us.  But  what  say  you,  my 
daughter?" 

The  poor  girl  was  so  frightened,  that  she  trembled. 
She  saw,  only  too  plainly,  what  was  about  to  be  done. 
She  felt  that  her  safety  depended  entirely  upon  candor 


THE    MORTAL    WOOING. 


I8l 


and  courage;  and  truly,  as  if  wonderfully  strengthened, 
there  came  over  her  such  a  dignity  and  lofty  bearing 
as  testified  to  the  purity  and  firmness  of  her  heart. 
She  replied,  "  Dear  father,  though  the  Master  has  not 
yet  actually  declared  what  his  intentions  are,  I  cannot 
but  suppose  that  he  wishes  to  have  me  for  his  wife." 

"Right,  my  child,"  rejoined  the  father;  "I  am  glad 
that  you  have  so  readily  discovered  and  unaffectedly 
declared  it." 

But  Nullenbrecher,  joyfully  rubbing  his  hands  and 
gazing  fixedly  at  her,  mumbled  to  himself:  "  Qualis 
flos  Saronius,  what  a  rose  of  Sharon !  qualis  rosa 
vallium,  what  a  lily  of  the  valleys  !  as  is  written  in 
Canticles  second." 

"  Master  Nullenbrecher  !"  exclaimed  Elizabeth,  turn- 
ing full  upon  that  gentleman,  with  the  resoluteness  of 
a  heart  relying  on  divine  assistance,  "  by  asking  my 
hand  in  marriage,  you  confer  upon  me  and  our  house 
a  great  honor.  But  have  you  well  considered  what 
you  are  doing?  I  am  far  too  plain  and  ignorant  to 
make  a  suitable  companion  for  you :  you,  whose  great 
learning  I  am  far  too  simple  and  ignorant  to  appreciate, 
and  who  look  for  honors  and  distinctions,  which  are  as 
becoming  to  a  learned  man  as  they  are  unbecoming  to 
a  maiden  like  me.  Believe  me,  God  has  not  designed 
us  for  each  other." 

The  goldsmith  regarded 
greatest  astonishment.  Her 
unexpected  as.  the  firmness 
usually  so  timid  and  obedient  a  daughter,  expressed  it. 
He  was,  in  fact,  not  prepared  for  such  a  reply.  But 
Nullenbrecher,  assuming  what  he  thought  to  be  a  win- 


his  daughter  with  the 
refusal  was  to  him  as 
with    which    Elizabeth. 


/ 


1 82  PHI  LIP  P  JACOB  SPENER. 

ning  smile,  said:    "In  one  respect,  you  may  be    per- 

/fectly  correct,  honored  maiden.     Solomon  says,  some- 

)  where,  if  I  mistake  not,  in  his  Proverbs,  Sapientia  est 

J  hominibus  incxhaustiis  thesaiirus,  wisdom  is  a  treasure 

]  unto  men  that  never  faileth ;  and  further  on,  he  says, 

Juvenis  per  sapientiam  apud  vidgiis  gloriam  consequitiir, 

a  youth  shall  have  for  the  sake  of  wisdom  estimation 

among  the    multitude — et  apud  seniores  honorem,  and 

honor   with    the    elders :  all    of  which  means,  that  a 

young  man,  by  virtue  of  his  learning,  is  justly  honored 

both  by  old  and  young." 

"And  then,"  continued  Elizabeth,  laboring  under  the 
delusion  that  the  Master  had  fully  conceded  the  point, 
"then  there  is  still  something  else  which  widely  sepa- 
rates us.     I  know  that  you  are  very  unfavorably  dis- 
posed  toward  our    most  worthy  court-chaplain — yes, 
that  you  are  even  his  enemy ;  that  you  abuse  him  and 
deny  his  having  the  true  faith." 
/       "  He  is  a  heterodoxus"  interrupted  the  suitor.     "  A 
"    JieteTodoxiis,  I  say;  to  speak  mildly,  a  pietist;  yea,  the 
,    chief  and   patriarch    of  the   pietists,    who    denies  the 
'     eternal  punishment  of  hell,  and  insists  only  on  good 
works  as  a  means  of  salvation,  in  direct  opposition  to 
the  Apostle  Paul,  who  teaches  that  it  is  gained  accord- 
ing   to     Romans    third — clioris   ergoii    nomou,    which 
means,  without  the  works  of  the  law." 

"  I  do  not  understand  you,"  replied  the  maiden, 
calmly,  yet  firmly,  and  with  flashing  eyes,  while  the 
father  still  continued  sitting,  as  if  spell-bound  with 
astonishment,  before  his  glass.  "  You,  Mr.  Nullen- 
brecher,  hate  Dr.  Spener,  and  I  love  him;  you  regard 
i  him  as  an  unbelieving    Christian.  I  revere  him  as  the 


THE   MORTAL    WOOING.  1 83 

most  worthy  servant  of  Christ  our  Lord  in  our  city;  / 
you   denounce   him   as   one  who  creates   discord  and 
strife  among  famihes  and  in  the  congregation,  and  I  \ 
have  for  the  first  learned  from  him  what  a  wonderful  ! 
comfort  the  word  of  God  brings  to  the  heart.     When  , 
you  pray — that  is,  if  you  pray  at  all — you  remember  ' 
him  only  as  one  who  walks  in  the  way  of  the  ungodly  , 
and  erring,  whilst  I  never  pray  to  God  without  most  \ 
heartily  beseeching  Him  to  protect,  bless  and  preserve 
the  dear  man  in  that  way  to  heaven  in  which  he  leads 
us.     You,  with  your  great  learning,  say  No,  where  I,  j 
in  the  simplicity  of  my  heart,  say  Yes.     You  go  to 
heaven  to  the  right,  and  I  to  the  left.     How,  then,  is 
it  possible   that  our  ways  should,  in  this  world,  run 
side  by  side?     The   Holy  Bible   says,  'Walk   in   one 
faith  and  in  one  love!  " 

"You  do  not  quote  quite  correctly,  honored  Miss," 
replied  the  scholarly  suitor,  who,  in  his  learned  faith, 
was  altogether  forgetful  of  that  which  he  endeavored 
both  to  feel  and  teach.  "  You  doubtless  refer  to  what 
is  written  in  Ephesians  fifth :  peripateite  en  agape,  walk 
in  love." 

"And  then,"  rejoined  Elizabeth,  without  paying  any 
attention  to  his  criticism,  "  there  is  still  a  third  obsta- 
cle between  us !  Pardon  me,  for  dealing  so  openly 
and  candidly  with  you ;  but  the  question  is,  happiness 
or  misery,  peace  or  anguish.  I  cannot  now,  nor  will 
I  ever  be  able  to  love  you." 

Now,  for  the  first  time,  Mr.  Guldenmeyer  found  his 
tongue.  Inflamed  by  wine  and  the  unexpected  refusal 
of  his  daughter,  he  hastily  rose  from  his  chair,  and 
said :    "  You  cannot  love  the  honored  Master !      You 


1 34  PHILIP P  JACOB  SPENER. 

are  insensible  to  his  great  learning  !  You  are  insensi- 
ble to  the  great  honor,  to  be  the  wife  of  a  man  who  is 
a  pillar  in  the  church,  whose  mother  was  descended 
from  a  right  noble  family,  and  who  calls  the  most 
distinguished  knights  his  cousins !  Elizabeth,  you 
know  me !  Are  you  aware  of  what  I  have  power  to 
do?" 

"  Dearest  father,"  replied  the  daughter,  in  a  mild 
and  beseeching  tone,  yet  with  a  serenity  of  counte- 
nance which  bore  witness  to  the  fearlessness  of  a  heart 
submissive  to  God,  "  if  you  command  me  to  become 
this  man's  wife,  I  shall  obey  you,  and  pray  to  God  to 
give  me  strength  to  bear,  with  Christian  fortitude,  the 
loss  of  earthly  happiness.  But  you  will  not  do  this ; 
you  cannot  do  this,  dear  father.  You  cannot  make 
your  child,  your  only  child,  miserable  ;  and  the  Master 
here,  whose  learning  opens  for  him  the  door  to  nobler 
houses  than  our  own,  will  surely  not  press  his  suit  with 
a  maiden  who  so  frankly  tells  him  that  she  can  neither 
now  nor  ever  love  him." 

"  You,  my  only  child !"  hissed  the  father,  whilst 
his  eyes,  made  brighter  by  wine,  flashed  with  rage. 
"This,  then,  is  the  fruit  of  your  secret  meetings  with 
the  schoolmaster  of  Lockwitz !  This  is  the  breaking 
out  of  the  conspiracy  against  me !  Well,  well,  we 
will  see  who,  in  this  unnatural  contest,  carries  off  the 
victory.  You  think  I  would  or  could  not  do  it ! 
deceived,  misguided  child!  I  shall  command  you; 
yea,  I  command  you  now !  Those  who  are  blind  must 
be  led,  is  my  principle.  Those  who  would  deprive 
themselves  and  theirs  of  honor  and  distinction,  must 
be  compelled." 


THE   MORTAL    WOOING.  ig^ 

"  I  seek  neither  honor  nor  distinction,"  said  the  / 
maiden,  with  undaunted  courage,  but  yet  in  a  respect- 
ful and  child-like  tone,  "  I  seek,  dear  father,  a  quiet, 
simple  domestic  happiness,  in  which  you,  too,  are  to 
have  a  share.  I  seek  as  much  earthly  felicity  as  man, 
in  this  sinful  and  imperfect  state,  is  able  to  attain.  I 
seek  it  in  the  spiritual  oneness  of  two  hearts,  which 
are  sanctified  by  one  pious  faith.  I  seek  a  bosom- 
friend,  a  true  confidant  of  my  inner  and  outer  life. 
But  he  who  does  not  understand  my  heart,  he  who 
ridicules  my  faith,  and  lays  the  impious  hand  of  the 
scornful'  upon  that  which  to  me  is  most  sacred,  he 
never,  never  can  become  my  friend,  my  confidant." 

"These  are,"  the  artisan  added,  with  a  contemptuous 
look,  "  the  fine  fruits  of  your  pietistic  nonsense,  which 
you  have  learned  of  that  court- chaplain.  The  Master 
here  is  right.  That  man  brings  only  discord  and  strife 
into  families  with  his  new  heresy.  Elizabeth,  once 
more  I  ask  you,  will  you  become  Master  Nullen- 
brecher's  wife  ?" 

"Of  my  will  I  shall  not,"  quickly  and  firmly  replied ^ 
Elizabeth  ;  "  but  if  you,  my  father,  really  determine  to 
force  me  to  it  by  virtue  of  your  paternal  authority — ^ 
me,  your  own  child,  the  legacy  of  your  wife,  my  goody 
sainted  mother,  then  I  shall  do  it;  and  God,  in  His 
mercy,  will  give  me  strength  to  bear  my  misery  as  be- 
comes a  Christian." 

"Ay,  ay,  honored  maiden,"  said  Nullenbrecher,  with    f 
a  look  of  offended  pride,  "  you  are  not  very  difficilis  in 
your  mode  of  expressing  yourself     Moreover,  you  do 
not   what    Sirach   says :     Noli  contemfiere  quod  diamt 
sapie?ites,  despise  not  the  discourses  of  the  wise.     It 


1 86  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

may  be  that,  like  your  apostate  teacher,  you  do  not 
care  any  thing  about  learning,  and  rather  associate 
with  those  who  do  nothing  but  pray,  because  they  do 
not  know  any  thing  else.  And  I  should  not  be  sur- 
prised if  you  would  not  rather  bestow  your  love  as 
exempli  gratia  upon  the  exceedingly  pious  and  light- 
haired  servant  of  your  beloved  court-chaplain." 

"  If  it  were  as  you  say,"  replied  Elizabeth,  with 
a  smile  of  noble  pride,  "  I  should  certainly  not  con- 
ceal it  from  you.  I  should  be  proud  if  such  a 
pious  and  worthy  man  would  esteem  me  worthy  of 
his  love  and  friendship.  But  you  are  mistaken,  Mr. 
Nullenbrecher.  If  you,  however,  mean  to  intimate 
that  my  heart  is  no  longer  free,  then  you  are  perfectly 
right.  I  belong  here  on  earth  only  to  one,  whom  God 
Himself  has  made  the  possessor  of  my  heart  and  life." 

"What?"  passionately  exclaimed  the  goldsmith. 
"  You  have  disposed  of  your  hand  without  my  know- 
ledge and  consent?  Shame  on  you,  and  a  curse  upon 
the  faithless  child  that  would  despise  her  father!" 

"  The  blessing  of  the  father  establisheth  the  houses 
of  children,  according  to  Sirach  third,"  added  Nullen- 
brecher. But  Elizabeth  cast  a  look  of  contempt  upon 
the  intrusive  speaker,  and,  turning  toward  her  father, 
continued  :  "  You  wrong  me,  dear  father.  I  have  not 
disposed  of  my  hand,  as  you  think.  I  am  not  bound 
by  any  words  of  my  lips.  Yea,  he  to  whom  I  refer, 
has  not  even  a  presentiment  either  of  the  conflict  of  my 
heart,  or  of  its  defeat." 

"  I  understand  you,  miserable  creature,"  the  father 
passionately  continued.  "  The  sworn  enemy  of  my 
house,  that  canting  schoolmaster,  has  broken  his  oath 


THE    MORTAL    WOOING. 


187 


and  revealed  to  you  a  secret  which  has  only  brought  to 
light  his  own  shame  and  that  of  his  crazy  sister.  I  know 
you  speak  of  George,  your  ungrateful  brother,  who 
has  robbed  me  of  more  than  the  half  of  my  property. 
But  as  true  as  I  live,  and  have  power  over  you,  sooner 
your  and  my  death  than  that  I  should  suffer  such  a 
thing." 

"  I  am  in  God's  hand,"  said  the  maiden. 

"  If  I  have  rightly  comprehended  your  words,  dear 
Mr.  Guldenmyer,"  remarked  the  Master,  "you  seem  to 
think  that  your  daughter.  Miss  Elizabeth,  is  con- 
spiring against  you  with  your  son  and  the  pietistic 
schoolmaster  from  Lockwitz.  If  so,  then  I  will  not 
conceal  from  you  the  fact  that  I  yesterday  saw  these 
three  coming  from  the  Electoral  chapel,  consequently 
from  the  Spenerite  examina,  conversing  together  a 
long  time." 

"  What  is  this  I  hear  ?"  exclaimed  the  goldsmith, 
whilst  he  clenched  his  hands,  and  a  withering  look 
shot  from  his  eyes.  "  Have  you  resumed  your  visits 
to  the  examina  in  violation  of  my  command  ?" 

"  I  cannot,  nor  will  I,  deny  it,"  replied  the  maiden, 
with  a  little  unsteadiness  in  her  voice;  but  soon 
regaining  her  fortitude,  she  continued :  "  Dear  father, 
I  found  it  impossible  to  believe  that  you  were  really 
in  earnest  when  you  forbade  mc,  in  future  to  attend 
the  examina  of  the  reverend  court-chaplain.  We  are 
forbidden  only  to  walk  in  the  way  that  leads  to 
destruction,  and  not  in  that  which  leads  to  eternal  life. 
Oh,  if  you  had  only  once  heard  from  the  lips  of 
Dr.  Spener  the  teachings  of  true  Christianity — if  you 
had  only  once  witnessed  how  none  that  are  weary  and 


1 88  PHILIPP  JACOB   SPENER. 

heavy-laden  depart  uncomforted — how  the  Spirit  of 
God  works  effectually  in  all  who  hear  his  voice,  and 
creates  a  willingness  to  fulfill  the  commandment  of  the 
Lord,  and  to  bear,  in  a  becoming.  Christian  spirit,  weal 
and  woe,  suffering  and  death — and  how  all  who  listen 
for  the  first  time  to  his  explanations  of  the  Scriptures, 
forthwith  acknowledge  that  they  are  only  now  begin- 
ning to  experience  what  true  Christianity  is ;  and  had 
you  only  once  seen  how,  in  that  large  assembly,  there 
is  not  one  eye  from  which  does  not  beam  forth  the 
peace  of  God ;  and,  above  all,  had  you  seen  himself, 
the  dear  man  of  God,  the  true  witness  of  his  Lord, 
how  his  face  shines  with  heavenly  brightness ;  and  had 
you  heard  his  voice,  how,  in  its  softness  and  tender- 
ness, even  whilst  uttering  those  words  of  reproof  which 
cause  the  heart  to  thrill  in  its  innermost  depths,  it  still 
goes  to  the  soul  as  a  loving  messenger  from  God 
surely,  dear  father,  you  would  have  learned  to  under- 
stand concerning  him  what  the  believing  Paul  declares 
concerning  himself,  *I  believed,  and  therefore  have  I 
spoken.'  Indeed,  my  father,  it  does  one  good;  it 
creates  a  most  blessed  feeling  to  hear  a  minister  who 
has  faith,  and  is  not  merely  preaching  about  it." 

"There  you  have  the  whole  pietistic  heresy,"  quickly 
put  in  the  Master,  turning  to  the  goldsmith.  "  Is  not 
this  a  covert  attack  on  all  other  ministers  of  this  city? 
It  will  not  be  long,  my  dear  friend,  before  your  little 
daughter  will  cast  a  compassionate  look  upon  you,  as 
a  child  of  perdition ;  for  it  is  the  nature  of  these 
Spenerites  to  condemn  all  who  do  not  hold  to  their 
pietistic  faith !  And  what  kind  of  fruit  this  heretical 
abnormity  bears,  you  see  already  in  that  disobedience 


THE   MORTAL    WOOING.  1 89 

with    which    she   treats   your   commands.     '  Children, 
obey  your  parents,'  as  is  written  in  Ephesians  sixth." 

"  In  the  Lord,"  quickly  added  Elizabeth.  "  God 
will  judge  whether  I  merit  your  reproof." 

"Silence!  you  apostate!"  called  out  the  infuriated 
father.  "You  have  transgressed  my  command;  you 
have,  without  my  knowledge  and  consent,  entered  the 
house  where  the  seed  of  a  heretical  faith  is  sown;  you 
dare  to  spurn  my  care  for  your  future  happiness ;  you 
tear  yourself  away  from  your  father's  heart.  Be  it  so  ! 
My  curse  upon  you,  you  despicable,  ungrateful,  apos- 
tate creature  !  Away  !  begone  from  this  I  May  your 
path  lead  you  over  serpents  and  adders !  Begone,  I 
tell  you,  before  I,  in  my  righteous  displeasure,  lay 
violent  hands  upon  you." 

Elizabeth,  who,  on  former  occasions  of  this  kind,  had 
her  eyes  filled  immediately  with  tears,  remained  this  time, 
as  if  wonderfully  supported,  firm  and  immovable,  and 
replied,  resolutely,  though  with  the  greatest  humility, 
"  My  father,  if  you  drive  me  out  of  your  house,  I,  of 
course,  must  go,  and  God  only  knows  where  I  shall  lay 
my  head.  But  I  hope,  by  the  mercy  of  God,  that  I 
have  not  merited  your  curse.  Ask  of  me  what  you 
please,  I  bow  to  your  will.  Demand  my  life's  blood, 
and  I  will  give  it  to  you;  demand  my  entire  earthly 
happiness,  and  you  shall  have  it ;  for  you  are,  next  to 
God,  lord  of  my  body  and  life.  But,"  and,  as  she 
spoke,  a  holy  fervor  revealed  itself  in  her  entire  person, 
"  my  soul's  salvation  you  have  no  right  to  demand ;  in 
this,  God  alone  is  our  Judge.  If  I  have  sinned  in 
going  where  my  heart,  my  faith,  and  my  heavenly 
desires   urged   me,  may  God   forgive   me.     I  thought 


IQO  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

myself  engaged  in  the  one  thing  needful,  and  I  enter 
with  this,  my  sin,  into  the  presence  of  God,  the  omnis- 
cient and  righteous  Judge.  But  you,  my  father,  I 
repeat  it,  are  indeed  lord  over  my  body,  but  not  over 
my  soul." 

"Curse  you!"  shrieked  the  unhappy  father,  as  in 
the  heat  of  his  rage  he  seized  the  heavy  cooper-knife 
which  lay  on  the  table  before  him  ;  "  a  three-fold  curse 
upon  you  !  and — death  !" 

Saying  which,  he  hurled  the  terrible  knife  with  full 
force  at  his  poor  child,  who,  though  seeing  the  threat- 
ening movement,  stood  motionless  and  resigned  before 
the  cruel  father. 

Elizabeth  fell  to  the  floor,  the  blood  gushing  from  her 
neck  and  shoulder. 

NuUenbrecher  precipitately  seized  his  hat  and  cane, 
and  rushed  out  of  the  room. 

But  the  father,  on  seeing  what  he  had  done,  sud- 
denly turned  deathly  pale.  With  one  wild  look  of 
horror,  he  threw  himself  upon  his  daughter,  and  cried, 
"  Great  God  !  I  have  murdered  my  child !" 


CHAPTER     X. 

REPENTANCE  AND    CONFESSION. 

"  The  sacrifices  of  God  are  a  broken  spirit :  a  broken  and  a  contrite 
heart,  O  God,  thou  wilt  not  despise." — Ps.  li.   17. 

IT  was  on  the  morning  of  the  following  day,  that  the 
famulus,  Mr.  Rothner,  pale  and  trembling,  and  with 
his  eyes  suffused  with  tears,  entered  the  study  of  the 
court-chaplain. 

"What  ails  you,  my  dear  Rothner?"  asked  Spener, 
surprised  and  troubled. 

"  A  young  man,"  he  replied,  "  the  artist,  Gulden- 
meyer,  desires  to  speak  with  you  immediately." 

"Conduct  him  hither  at  once,"  demanded  the  Doc- 
tor.     "  But  what  has  happened  to  you  ?" 

"  Mr.  Guldenmeyer,  in  a  fit  of  anger,  has  killed  his 
child — his  only  daughter !"  replied  the  famulus,  giving 
free  course  to  his  tears. 

"  In  the  name  of  God !"  exclaimed  Spener,  "  what 
madness  is  this  you  are  telling  me  ?"  and,  with  this, 
he  himself  hastened  to  the  door,  to  admit  Elizabeth's 
brother.  "  Is  it  true,"  he  inquired,  "  what  I  have  just 
now  heard?" 

"  Reverend  sir,"  replied  the  youth,  bowing  low,  to 
the  man  whom,  in  a  few  weeks,  he  had  learned  to 
love  sincerely,  "excuse  me  for  calling  on  you  so  very 
early;  but  my  agony  is  too  great.  You  alone  can 
help ;  you  alone  can  comfort.  My  unhappy  father,  in 
a  mad  fit  of  passion,  has  inflicted  a  severe  and  danger- 


ip2  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

ous  wound  on  my  sister.  The  surgeon  shakes  his 
head  in  doubt,  and  I  am  left  to  fear  the  worst — and 
that  worst  is  more  than  I  can  bear !  But  this  is  not 
all.  My  poor  father  is  perfectly  beside  himself.  Tor- 
mented by  anguish  and  grief,  he  would,  ere  this,  have 
laid  violent  hands  upon  himself,  if  we  had  not  watched 
him.  We  could  not  persuade  him  to  leave  the  bed  of 
my  sister,  and  when  she,  this  morning,  opened  her 
eyes  again,  for  the  first  time,  though  as  the  physician 
declared,  in  a  state  of  unconsciousness,  my  father  cried 
aloud,  and  threw  himself  upon  her  bed.  His  physical 
strength,  all  at  once,  gave  way.  We  spoke  to  him, 
yet  he  made  no  answer,  but  only  continued  to  weep 
like  a  child.  We  therefore  carried  him  to  his  own 
chamber,  that  Elizabeth  might  be  out  of  his  sight. 
After  many  hours  of  the  most  dreadful  anxiety,  which 
I  spent  now  at  my  father's,  now  at  Elizabeth's  bed- 
side— and  after  my  father  had  continued  for  some  time 
silent  and  listless,  paying  no  attention  to  what  was 
going  on  around  him,  refusing  to  make  answer  to  any 
of  our  prayers  and  entreaties,  he  at  length  beckoned  to 
me  with  his  hand,  made  me  hold  my  ear  to  his  lips, 
and  said,  'I  wonder  whether  the  court-chaplain  would 
condescend  to  come  to  see  me?'  " 

"  Certainly,  and  at  once,"  said  Spener,  as  he  hastened 
into  the  adjoining  chamber  to  robe  himself. 

"Have  you  really  no  hope  for  your  sister?"  asked 
Rothner,  with  the  sincerest  sympathy. 

"Very  little,"  replied  George,  his  eyes  filling  with 
tears.  "It  was  only  day  before  yesterday,  whilst  at- 
tending the  examina,  that  we  were  conversing  together 
on  the  declaration  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  'There  is 


REPENTANCE  AND    CONFESSION.  jg^ 

but  a  step  between  me  and  death'  (i  Sam.  xx.  3), 
which  the  Doctor  had  been  explaining  to  us,  when 
EHzabeth  remarked  to  me,  '  How  would  it  be,  dear 
brother,  if  this  declaration  should  prove  a  reality  to 
me  ?'  At  this  I  felt  somewhat  alarmed  and  displeased, 
and  said,  *  Elizabeth,  it  is  not  right  in  you  to  court 
death.'  And  now,  alas,  it  may  come  to  pass.  O  God ! 
I  cannot  bear  it!  Ah,  why  did  I  not  stay  in  a  foreign 
land  ?" 

"  Do  not  despair,"  comforted  the  famulus.  "  It  is 
unchristian  to  doubt  the  omnipotence  and  mercy  of 
God,  and  still  more  unchristian  to  say,  '  I  cannot  bear 
it'  Know  you  not  that  you  are  able  to  do  all  things 
through  Him  who  strengtheneth  you — Christ?" 

"  But  oh,  how  difficult  it  is  !"  exclaimed  George,  in 
deep  sorrow,  "  how  very  difficult  to  suffer  in  silence 
and  uncomplainingly  when  your  very  life  is  torn  away 
from  you  ! — for,  sir,  it  is  my  own  life  which  is  ebbing 
away." 

The  amanuensis  did  not,  of  course,  fully  comprehend 
the  deep  sorrow  which  rent  George's  soul.  He  gazed 
on  him  compassionately,  and  was  about  to  utter  a  few 
words  more  of  censure,  as  well  as  consolation,  when 
the  court-chaplain,  arrayed  in  a  plain  black  coat,  and 
with  hat  and  staff  in  hand,  re-entered  and  said  to 
George,  "  Come,  my  young  friend,  and  may  God  be 
with  us." 

When  they  had  reached  the  front  door,  they  per- 
ceived, for  the  first  time,  that  a  heavy  rain  was  falling, 
and  that  the  streets  were  flooded  with  water.  "  If  you 
will  wait  a  few  minutes,  reverend  sir,"  said  George,  "  I 
will  get  a  carriage  for  you." 
9 


ip4  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

"What  are  you  thinking  about,  my  young  friend?" 
rephed  the  Doctor,  with  unfeigned  astonishment.  "As 
long  as  God  gives  strength  to  our  hmbs,  so  long  are 
we  to  use  them.  Come,  let  me  take  your  arm,  and  tell 
me,  meanwhile,  the  particulars  of  what  has  happened." 

And  the  court-chaplain,  who,  of  course,  did  not 
know  what  luxury,  splendor  and  ease  meant,  neither 
regarded  the  falling  rain  from  above,  nor  the  running 
water  beneath ;  but,  led  by  the  young  artist,  waded 
vigorously  and  courageously  through  Kanzler  street, 
across  the  New  Market,  towards  Pirna  street,  and  soon 
after  entered  the  chamber  where  the  unhappy  and 
trembling  father  awaited  the  desired  arrival  of  the  man 
whom  he  had  hitherto  hated  without  a  cause,  and  only 
in  foolish  agreement  with  many,  because  they  were 
people  of  consideration. 

When  the  court-chaplain  approached  the  bedside  of 
the  miserable  man,  he  found  him  lying  with  his  face 
turned  to  the  wall,  quiet  and  silent  as  if  asleep.  When, 
however,  George  had  convinced  himself  that  his  eyes 
were  not  closed,  he  called  to  him,  "Father,  dear  father, 
will  you  not  turn  your  face  this  way?" 

He  did  not  answer,  but  remained  motionless,  whilst 
a  scarcely  audible  sigh  proceeded  from  the  direction  in 
which  his  head  was  lying. 

"  The  reverend  court-chaplain,"  continued  George, 
"  whom  you,  dear  father,  desired  to  see,  stands  before 
you." 

At  this  the  sick  man  turned  himself  round ;  but 
when  he  saw  the  grave  and  dignified  man,  who,  with 
the  entire  fullness  of  his  trustful  look,  sought  to  catch 
the  eye  of  the  invalid,  he  quickly  and  with  signs  of  the 


REPENTANCE   AND    CONFESSION. 


195 


greatest  terror  covered  his  face  with  both  hands,  and 
said,  "Merciful  God!  I  am  a  sinful  cast-away;  I  have 
murdered  my  own  child!" 

"  Not  quite  so  bad  as  that,"  replied  Spener,  with  all 
the  sincere  kindness  of  his  manner;  "your  child  is  still 
alive  ;  and  God  will  answer  our  prayer,  and,  for  your 
sake,  will  not  permit  her  to  die." 

"Sir,"  said  the  goldsmith,  in  a  husky  voice,  "I  can- 
not pray." 

"  Well,"  added  the  Doctor,  "  then  God  will  give  me 
strength  to  bring  your  v^ants  before  Him.  Take 
courage,  my  friend,  and  pray  with  me." 

And  Spener,  without-  further  talk,  threw  himself 
upon  his  knees,  and,  after  George  had  followed  his 
example,  lifted  up  his  folded  hands,  and  began : 

"Almighty  and  righteous  God,  faithful  and  merciful 
Father!  Thou  art  our  only  comfort  and  our  only 
refuge.  Thou  knowest  and  seest  how  great  is  the 
anguish  of  our  hearts.  We  have  neither  help  nor  con- 
solation in  our  deep  distress.  Thy  name  is  called 
Lord  Sabaoth,  great  in  counsel,  and  wonderful  in 
working!  O  Lord,  we  plead  Thy  promise,  where 
Thou  hast  said,  '  Ye  shall  seek  My  face.'  Therefore  do 
we  seek  thee,  O  Lord.  Hide  not  Thy  face  from  us — 
cast  us.  Thy  children,  not  away  in  Thy  just  displeasure  ; 
for  Thou  art  our  help.  Lord,  forsake  us  not,  and  take 
not  Thy  hand  away  from  us,  O  Thou  God  of  our  salva- 
tion !  for  all  help  has  forsaken  us ;  but  do  Thou  take  us 
up.  Lord,  it  is  because  of  our  iniquities,  that  Thy  chas- 
tisements are  upon  us,  and  of  our  disobedience,  that  we 
are  scourged ;  but  Thou,  who  art  gracious  and  mer- 
ciful, long  suffering,  and  of  great  goodness  and  faith- 


ig6  PHILIP P  JACOB  SPENER. 

fulness,  Thou  hast  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the 
wicked,  but  desirest  that  the  wicked  may  turn  and 
live !  Thou  art  a  God  that  doeth  wonders.  Thou 
hast  made  known  Thy  power  among  the  nations. 
Comfort  us,  God,  our  Saviour.  Compassionate  us  in 
our  misery  and  distress.  Help  Thy  people  and  bless 
Thy  heritage!  O  Lord,  our  Lord,  send  us  aid  in  our 
need.  Show  us  Thy  great  mercy,  as  our  hope  is  in 
Thee!  Thou  hast  said,  *  Because  he  hath  set  his  heart 
upon  Me,  therefore  will  I  deliver  him.  I  will  set  him 
on  high,  because  he  hath  known  My  name.  He  shall 
call  upon  Me,  and  I  will  answer  him.  I  will  be  with 
him  in  trouble.  I  will  deliver  him  and  honor  him. 
With  long  life  will  I  satisfy  him,  and  show  him  My 
salvation.'  Behold,  this  is  Thine  own  word.  Answer 
us  in  this  our  prayer — answer  us  through  Christ  Jesus, 
our  Lord.     Amen." 

When  the  court-chaplain  had  ended,  he  rose  and 
regarded  the  unhappy  man  with  manifest  joy.  George 
also  rose  and  threw  himself  upon  the  bed,  and,  sob- 
bing, buried  his  face  in  his  father's  hands.  Gulden- 
meyer  could  now  bear  Spener's  look,  and  anxiously 
asked,  "  Reverend  sir,  think  you  God  will  answer  my 
prayer?" 

Spener  laid  his  hand  upon  the  man's  forehead,  and 
replied,  "  The  Lord  is  nigh  unto  all  them  that  call 
upon  Him — to  all  that  call  upon  Him  in  truth.  And 
James  comforts  us  with  the  words,  'The  effectual, 
fervent  prayer  of  a  righteous  man  availeth  much.'  " 

"Of  the  righteous!"  exclaimed  the  goldsmith,  wring- 
ing his  hands  in  agony.  "Alas,  how,  then,  can  my 
prayer  come  up  before  the  Lord  ?" 


REPENTANCE   AND    CONFESSION. 


197 


"Righteous,"  replied  the  court-chaplain,  "righteous, 
as  now  your  conscience,  oppressed  as  it  is  with  guilt, 
understands  it,  you  of  course,  are  not  before  God. 
But  your  sincere  repentance  and  amendment  will 
surely  open  to  you  access  to  God  through  Christ.  Do 
you,  from  the  heart,  believe  in  Christ  as  your  Re- 
deemer, Mediator,  and  reconciliation  ?" 

"  I  believe,"  answered  the  goldsmith,  in  whose 
memory  language  almost  forgotten  was  again  awak- 
ened, and  he  raised  himself  up,  folded  his  hands — "  I 
believe  in  Jesus  Christ,  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God, 
our  Lord,  conceived  of  the — " 

"  Not  so,  my  dear  friend,"  interrupted  Spener,  with 
a  painful  smile  and  a  shake  of  the  head.  "  Your  faith 
now  comes  from  your  memory,  and  not  out  of  your 
heart !  Your  faith  consists  in  words,  but  not  in 
works." 

Guldenmeyer  regarded  him  with  surprise.  "  Yes, 
my  dear  friend,"  continued  the  court-chaplain,  "  to 
believe  in  Christ  is  something  quite  different  from  what 
you  suppose  !  I  entreat  you,  answer  me  truly, — what 
do  you  regard  as  being  the  chief  aim  of  a  man's  life?" 

"  That  he  may  be  saved,"  replied  the  goldsmith,  after 
a  little  hesitation. 

"This  we  hope  as  the  end  of  our  earthly  pilgrimage," 
said  Spener,  "and  that  not  on  account  of  our  works, 
because  we  cannot,  by  our  best  works,  lay  claim  to 
salvation,  but  only  for  Christ's  sake,  through  the  grace 
of  God,  who  alone  can  effect  such  works  within  us,  as 
follow  us  into  eternity.  But  what  have  we  to  do  on 
earth  ?" 

"  To  confess  Jesus  Christ,"  answered  the  aged  pupil. 


igS  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

"And  in  what  does  the  confession  of  the  Son  of 
God  exhibit  itself  ?"  continued  the  Doctor.  "  Does  it 
exhibit  itself  merely  in  the  words  of  the  confession  of 
faith,  or  also  in  works  ?" 

"  Certainly,  also  in  works,  reverend  sir,"  confessed 
the  artisan. 

"And  if  this  be  so,"  inquired  Spener,  "that  the 
Christian  is  to  confess  his  Lord  on  earth  in  words  and 
works,  in  deed  and  in  truth;  what  truth,  what  works 
will,  in  this  case,  be  required  of  us  ?" 

Guldenmeyer  regarded  the  court-chaplain  with  a 
doubtful  and  inquiring  look.  But  Spener  continued, 
"  Perhaps  you  will  reply  in  your  heart,  'good  works.* 
But  what  are  good  works  ?  Simply  that  you  pray, 
sing  a  pious  hymn,  give  alms  to  the  poor,  and  commit 
no  wrong  towards  others  ?  Oh,  no,  my  dear  friend. 
The  old  adage  says,  '  pray  and  work.'  But  now  to 
work  does  not  mean  merely  that  we  should  labor  for 
our  daily  bread,  but  also,  and  rather,  that  we  should 
labor  on  ourselves  for  our  improvement,  honestly  ac- 
knowledging our  sins,  heartily  repenting  of  them,  and 
showing  forth  fruits  meet  for  repentance;  and  all  this 
out  of  love  to  Christ,  the  Saviour  of  sinners,  the  only 
Redeemer  of  the  lost!  It  rheans — to  receive  the  Spirit 
of  Christ,  into  our  hearts,  so  that  the  whole  inner  man 
may  be  sanctified ;  it  means — to  purify  our  hearts  from 
the  world  and  its  lusts,  and  to  tear  ourselves  away  from 
the  world;  it  means — to  strengthen  and  confirm  our 
faith  in  joy  and  sorrow;  it  means — to  be  patient  in 
suffering,  to  hope  in  the  Lord  in  time  of  need,  to  be 
submissive  to  the  Lord's  will  when  it  runs  in  opposi- 
tion to  our  desires :    it  means — to  trust  in  the  Lord 


REPENTANCE  AND    CONFESSION. 


199 


when  God  does  for  us  abundantly  above  all  that  we 
are  able  to  ask  or  to  conceive ;  it  means — to  submit  in 
all  meekness  to  the  world's  abuse  and  scorn,  to  take 
upon  ourselves  the  cross  of  Christ,  and  follow  Him; 
and,  above  all,  to  love  our  neighbor  heartily,  and  to 
forgive  him  sincerely  as  we  hope  that  God  will  finally 
forgive  us  our  trespasses.  It  means,  in  short,  to  be 
born  again,  that  we  may  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
God,  and  then  fervently  pray,  '  Lord,  I  am  altogether 
unworthy  of  Thy  compassion  and  faithfulness  which 
Thou  hast  shown  toward  me;  but  be  Thou  merciful 
unto  me  for  the  sake  of  Christ,  my  Redeemer.'  Have 
you,  my  dear  friend,  thus  believed  in  Christ  ?" 

The  goldsmith,  deeply  affected,  cast  down  his  eyes ; 
his  quick  and  heavy  breathing  indicated  that  there  was 
a  severe  conflict  within.  At  length  he  turned,  with  a 
sorrowful  look,  toward  the  court-chaplain  and  said, 
"  No,  no,  reverend  sir !  Ah,  what  a  mystery  you  have 
disclosed  to  my  eyes!  And  what  a  pang  you  have 
sent  through  my  soul !  Give  me  comfort  in  my  dis- 
tress ;  heal  again  the  wound  you  have  inflicted." 

"  I,  too,  am  a  sinful  man,"  replied  the  Doctor,  laying 
his  left  hand  upon  his  breast.  "  Such  wounds  only  He 
can  heal,  who  has  done  no  sin,  and  in  whose  mouth 
there  was  found  no  deceit :  He  who  came  to  seek  and 
save  that  which  was  lost.  But  take  courage  and  con- 
fide in  Him.  His  Spirit  will  dwell  with  you.  Pray 
fervently  to  the  Lord  and  He  will  answer  you." 

Steps  being  now  heard  in  the  hall,  George  hastened 
out.  This,  however,  revived  in  the  unhappy  father, 
who  had  thus  far  been  so  deeply  concerned  about  the 
immediate  regeneration  of  his  soul,  that  he  had,  for  the 


200  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

time  being,  entirely  forgotten  the  cause  of  his  distress, 
the  unpleasant  memory  of  the  crime  he  had  committed 
— "Alas!"  he  exclaimed  dejected,  "  how  can  I  bear  the 
terrible  sin  of  being  the  murderer  of  my  own  child-! 
This  load  weighs  upon  my  soul :  I  cannot  pray  as  long 
as  God  suffers  this  dreadful  consciousness  to  haunt  me. 
I  cannot  live,  I  cannot  die,  for  anguish  at  the  thought 
of  my  child  appearing  at  the  judgment  bar  of  God  with 
the  accusation  that  her  own  father  has  been  her  mur- 
derer." 

"Take  courage,  and  hope  for  the  best,  my  good 
friend,"  comforted  Spener.  '*  Hold  fast  the  divine 
declaration,  'The  Lord  is  not  slack  concerning  His 
promise,  as  some  men  count  slackness;  but  is  long- 
suffering  to  US-ward,  not  willing  that  any  should  per- 
ish, but  that  all  should  come  to  repentance'  (2  Peter 
iii .  9).  And  if  I  am  interpreting  the  joy  of  my  own 
heart  aright,  I  can  say  to  you,  'Your  child  will  not  die, 
but  live  to  your  salvation  and  to  her  own.' " 

"  I  do  not  deserve  to  live,"  mournfully  replied  tlie 
goldsmith.  "  I  am  not  worthy  of  this  grace  of  my 
God.  O,  reverend  sir,  you  do  not  know  how  good  my 
child,  my  Elizabeth,  is.  It  is  only  now,  whilst  tor- 
mented by  the  agonizing  fear  of  losing  her  in  conse- 
quence of  my  own  sinful  treatment  of  her,  that  I  am 
fully  conscious  of  what  a  treasure  I  possessed  in  her. 
And  how  little  have  I  regarded  it  I  She  is  meek  and 
I  am  passionate ;  she  loved  me,  and  I  have  daily 
grieved  her;  she  was  always  a  grateful,  obedient  child, 
and  I  never  felt  that  I  owed  gratitude  and  obedience  to 
God  for  her ;  she  has  nursed  and  watched  over  me  in 
every  sickness  and  sorrow,  and  how  often  have  I  vexed 


REPENTANCE   AND    CONFESSION.  2OI 

her  till  she  wept  bitter  tears.  I  saw  her  tears,  but  did 
not  regard  them ;  and,  O,  these  burning  tears  of  my 
poor  child  now  scald  my  heart.  No,  no,  I  do  not  de- 
serve to  have  her  preserved  to  me." 

"  It  is  indeed,  true,  we  are  not  worthy  of  what  we 
pray  for,"  said  Spener,  "  but " 

"  You  do  not  yet  know  all,"  interrupted  the  gold- 
smith, whose  conscience,  with  all  its  fears,  had  been 
fully  aroused,  and  urged  him  to  unburden  himself  "  I 
am  an  exceedingly  wicked  man,  and  entirely  unworthy 
of  the  grace  of  God.  My  wife  will  accuse  me  before 
His  throne  for  the  wrong  I  have  done  my  child.  It  is 
my  fault  that  my  good  pious  wife  went  down  to  her 
grave  with  a  broken  heart.  Reverend  sir,  I  was  at  one 
time  a  rich  man,  but  now  I  am  poor,  poor  in  temporal 
and  spiritual  goods  ;  yes,  I  cannot  hide  it,  I  am  in  dan- 
ger of  becoming  a  beggar  in  my  old  age  !  And  all 
through  my  own  fault,  through '  my  wicked  pride, 
through  my  profligacy  and  sinful  extravagance  in  liv- 
ing. I  have  plunged  myself  and  children  into  misery. 
Alas  !  God  cannot  forgive  me  the  wrong  I  have  com- 
mitted." 

"  Dear  Mr.  Guldenmeyer,"  remonstrated  Spener  in 
the  mildest  possible  manner. 

"  Let  me  speak,"  hastily  interrupted  Guldenmeyer, 
"  I  beseech  you,  for  pity's  sake,  reverend  sir,  let  me 
speak,  that  my  heart  may  be  relieved  of  its  anxiety.  I 
have  still  a  greater  guilt  resting  upon  me.  George  is 
not  my  son,  but  the  son  of  a  woman  who  was  once  my 
affianced  bride,  and  whom  I  perfidiously,  and  without 
the  least  cause  of  provocation,  cast  from  me,  simply  be- 
cause she  was  a  poor  and  humble  maiden.  O,  sir,  I 
9* 


202  PHILIP P   JACOB   SPENER. 

drove  her  to  madness,  and  in  this  condition  she  fell 
into  the  hands  of  a  greater  miscreant  even  than  my- 
self, and  became  his  victim.  I  took  pity  on  her  child, 
thinking  thereby  to  atone  for  my  crime  in  the  sight  of 
God ;  yes,  I  acknowledge  it,  I  spent  half  of  my  prop- 
erty on  this  son,  to  silence  my  conscience,  which  would 
not  be  quieted.  But  the  more  sacrifices  I  brought,  the 
louder  did  my  crime  cry  to  God.  Then  I  endeavored 
to  drown  my  guilt  in  strong  drink,  and  became  thereby 
a  tyrannical  father,  a  useless  citizen,  and  a  lazy  artisan. 
O,  my  merciful  God,  what  a  load  of  guilt  is  heaped 
upon  my  conscience!  What  an  endless  catalogue  of 
sins  and  transgressions  is  spread  out  before  my  eyes  ! 
And  do  you  know,  reverend  sir,  from  what  all  this  has 
arisen  ?  My  heart  trembles,  and  yet  I  must  confess  it: 
I  was  destitute  of  religion,  of  faith,  and  sat  in  the  seat 
of  the  scornful.  O,  give  me  some  comfort,  that  the 
anguish  of  my  soul  may  not  consume  me." 

In  this  deep  anguish  the  Lord  of  lords  was  about 
sending  better  comfort  than  anything  man  could  have 
brought.  George  returned  to  the  chamber,  hastened 
quickly  to  his  father's  bed-side,  and  weeping  aloud, 
threw  his  arms  around  his  neck,  crying,  "My  dear, 
dear  father,  God  has  graciously  had  mercy  upon  us. 
Elizabeth  will  not  die !  The  consulting  physicians 
have  just  now  agreed  that  her  wound  is  not  dan- 
gerous." 

The  goldsmith,  for  the  moment,  became  deathly 
pale,  whilst  his  eyes  assumed  a  wild  and  wandering 
stare.  He  seemed  suddenly  deprived  of  all  vitality. 
After  a  few  moments  his  furrowed  cheeks  became 
slightly  tinged  with  red,  he  folded  his  hands  over  his 


REPENTANCE   AND    CONFESSION. 


203 


breast,  tears  gushed  from  his  eyes,  and  he  said,  "  Lord, 
I  am  not  worthy  that  Thou  shouldst  come  under  my 
roof!" 

Then  he  started  from  his  bed  with  the  buoyancy  of 
youth,  and  exclaimed,  "  Where  is  my  child  ?  I  must 
see  my  child  !  On  my  knees  I  must  ask  her  pardon  !" 
and  he  hastened  towards  the  door.  But  George  held 
him  back,  saying,  "  For  the  love  of  God,  dear  father, 
do  not  go ;  the  excitement  might  cost  Elizabeth  her 
life.  I  entreat  you  remain  here  till  you  have  become 
more  calm." 

The  goldsmith  mournfully  bowed  his  head,  returned 
to  his  bed,  and  said,  "  You  are  right,  my  son ;  this 
punishment  too  I  have  deserved.  I  will  bear  it  with- 
out a  murmur.  But  tell  me,  George,  what  does  she 
say  about  me  ?     Can  she  forgive  me  ?" 

"  She  is  very  anxious  to  see  you,  dear  father," 
replied  George. 

"  My  dear,  good,  pious  child !"  exclaimed  the  old 
man,  sobbing,  and  extending  his  arms  as  if  to  clasp 
her  in  spirit  to  his  heart. 

"  My  dear  friend,"  said  Spener,  "  the  Lord  has  done 
great  things  for  you.  Murmur  not  because  of  the  sor- 
row of  your  heart,  for  it  is  a  godly  sorrow,  which  will 
cause  you  to  know  what  pertains  to  your  peace.  And 
think  on  the  word  of  Scripture,  '  Now  no  chastise- 
ment, for  the  present,  seemeth  joyous,  but  grievous; 
nevertheless,  afterward  it  yieldeth  the  peaceable  fruit  of 
righteousness  unto  them  which  are  exercised  thereby.' 
And  now,"  he  added,  whilst  taking  up  his  hat  and 
cane,  "farewell:  God  be  with  you.  It  would  give  me 
pleasure  to  prolong  my  visit  still  further,  but  urgent 


204  PHILIPP  JACOB   SPENER. 

labors  call  me  hence.  If,  however,  I  can,  at  any  time 
in  future,  assist  or  advise  you,  come  to  me."  Saying 
which,  he  extended  his  hand. 

"  Reverend  and  dear  man  of  God,"  replied  the  gold- 
smith, "  I  am  too  weak  to  thank  you  worthily ;  you 
have  given  me  new  life." 

"  I  ?"  added  Spener.  "  God  in  heaven  forbid  that 
I  should  thus  sin  against  Him.  All  of  us  are  only  the 
servants  of  His  holy  will.  Whatever  He  causes  to  be 
accomplished  by  man  is  the  result  of  His  grace  and 
mercy  alone." 

"And  now  allow  me  one  question  more,  reverend 
sir,"  continued  the  goldsmith.  "You  appeared  in  my 
house  like  an  angel  of  the  Lord;  I  now  comprehend 
why  I  could  not  keep  my  child  away  from  your 
examina  and  sermons.  Every  one  of  your  words  falls 
like  a  healing  balm  upon  the  wounds  of  my  heart. 
Ah !  why  was  I  so  blinded  as  to  deprive  myself  of  the 
peace  which  your  words  impart?  And  this  Nullen- 
brecher — God  forgive  him  the  sins  he  has  committed 
against  me !  You,  reverend  sir,  are  a  messenger  of 
peace!  How  does  it  come — pardon  me — that  men 
speak  so  much  evil  of  you  ?" 

Spener  smiled  mournfully,  and  said,  "  The  evil  they 
speak  does  not  so  much  concern  me  as  it  concerns  the 
Word  I  preach.  For  the  Word  of  God  is  quick  and 
powerful,  and  sharper  than  a  two-edged  sword,  pierc- 
ing even  to  the  dividing  asunder  of  soul  and  spirit, 
and  of  the  joints  and  marrow,  and  is  a  discerner  of  the 
thoughts  and  intents  of  the  heart." 

With  these  words  the  court-chaplain  left  the  room. 
Had  this  truly  good  man  a  presentiment  that  he  was 
soon  to  suffer  a  hard  experience  ? 


CHAPTER    XI. 

EVENING  PRAYER. 

"  Blessed  are  they  which  are  persecuted  for  righteousness'  sake,  for 
theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  Matth.  v.  lo. 

WE  must  now  introduce  the  gentle  reader  to  the 
sanctum  of  a  learned  bachelor,  the  most  labored 
description  of  which  will,  however,  not  leave  us  a  very 
flattering  result.  We  find  a  small  room,  around  whose 
walls,  disgustingly  black  with  greasy  lamp-smoke,  are 
ranged  different-sized  shelves  for  books.  In  one  cor- 
ner are  a  few  large  nails,  from  which  depend  the  coats 
and  hats  of  the  occupant ;  in  another,  a  small  table 
with  three  wig-stands,  upon  which  are  neatly  arranged 
the  characteristic  head-marks  of  that  time  in  general, 
and  those  of  their  owner  in  particular,  ready  to  grace 
his  noble  head.  Before  the  only  window  stands  a 
writing-table,  so  well  covered  with  manuscripts,  books, 
brushes  and  hand-ruffles,  that  there  is  scarcely  space 
enough  left  for  writing.  At  this  table  the  tenant  of 
the  cell,  Master  Nullenbrecher,  is  seated,  earnestly 
engaged  in  reading  from  a  ponderous  quarto,  by  the 
aid  of  a  very  sickly  light ;  for  it  is  a  raw  autumnal 
night,  and  near  the  commencement  of  a  winter  of 
which  historians  of  that  time  write,  "  it  was  terribly 
and  continuously  cold,  with  a  very  deep  snow,  so  that 
there  was  great  difficulty  in  going  abroad." 

The  Master  wrapped  himself  in  his  somewhat  seedy 
dressing-gown,  for  the  sharp  wind  sensibly  penetrated 

(205) 


2o6  PHIL  IP P   JACOB   SPENER. 

his  room,  and  was,  to  one  engaged  in  quiet  labor, 
uncomfortable.  As  this  did,  however,  not  afford  him 
sufficient  protection,  he  rose  and  measured,  with  rapid 
strides,  the  narrow  space  of  his  cell,  an  operation 
which,  as  may  be  imagined,  scarely  paid  for  turning 
around;  for,  wherever  he  turned,  his  world  was  at  an 
end.  This  filled  his  soul  with  some  indignation  and 
anger,  which  he  was  generally  in  the  habit  of  plunging 
into  the  waves  of  his  learning  for  the  purpose  of 
drowning,  an  expedient  to  which  he  had  already 
successfully  resorted  in  his  late  affair  with  our  little 
friend  Elizabeth. 

But  just  as  he  was  in  the  act  of  opening  the  flood- 
gates of  his  profundity,  the  door  opened  and  a  sprightly 
matron,  his  landlady,  entered  with  a  letter.  After  she 
had  repeatedly  assured  him  that  she  could  not  possibly 
guess  from  whom  it  could  be,  since  the  hand-writing 
was  altogether  strange  to  her,  and  being  finally  obliged 
to  depart  without  having  her  curiosity  satisfied,  the 
Master  broke  the  seal,  looked  at  the  signature,  and  was 
no  little  alarmed  when  the  name  of  John  Sigismund 
Guldenmeyer  met  his  eyes. 

"From  the  old  hot-head  himself!"  he  exclaimed. 
"Can  it  be  that  his  daughter  has  put  off  mortality  in 
consequence  of  the  wound  he  inflicted?  It  would  be 
a  pity  for  the  young  thing,  though  the  flock  of  Christ 
would  not  lose  an  orthodox  sheep  by  it."  And  then 
he  began  to  read  as  follows : 

"  Respected  Sir  : — Especially  Right  Honored  Master: 
I  have  just  come  from  the  sick  bed  of  my  daughter, 
to  which  my  unfortunate  blindness  and  unchristian 
passion  has  consigned  her.     I  cannot  thank  God  suffi- 


EVENING   PRAYER. 


207 


cieutly  for  having  thus  far  removed  from  her  the 
danger  of  death,  and  reheved  my  heart  from  the  burden 
of  having  committed  a  most  terrible  crime,  though  I 
pray  God  hourly  to  preserve  her  Hfe  and  mine,  so  that 
I  may  make  amends  for  the  evil  I  have  done.  Yes,  I 
must  tell  you  that  God,  in  His  mercy  and  love,  has 
protected  my  child,  though  you  will  not  care  a  great 
deal  about  these  glad  tidings,  as  you  have,  since  that 
unhappy  hour,  (now  about  eight  days,)  avoided  my 
house,  nor  once  inquired  after  me  or  my  child,  whether 
she  were  dead  or  alive.  Instead  of  this,  I  must  to  my 
great  joy  inform  you  that  the  reverend  court-chaplain 
has  honored  my  house  with  a  visit ;  and,  by  the  won- 
derful power  of  his  prayer,  and  the  consolation  he 
administered,  saved  me  from  despair. 

"  I  can,  therefore,  now  no  longer  feel  indebted  to  you 
for  confirming  me  in  my  hatred  against  this  excellent 
man,  whom  I  assisted  in  slandering,  because  you,  as  a 
learned  man,  set  me  the  example ;  still  less  do  I  feel 
indebted  to  you,  that  you,  who  are  ever  taking  the 
word  of  God  upon  your  lips,  never  opened  to  me  the 
true  knowledge  of  the  Holy  Scripture,  though  you 
were  ever  boasting  of  your  great  learning.  You  will, 
therefore,  greatly  oblige  me,  if,  in  future,  you  will  cease 
to  act  as  my  instructor  and  guide  in  these  holy  things. 
I,  moreover,  think  it  necessary  for  me  to  inform  you, 
that  I  have  no  longer  any  intention  hereafter,  if  it 
should  please  God  fully  to  restore  my  daughter,  to  put 
her  under  any  constraint  in  regard  to  her  betrothment 
and  marriage,  but  will  leave  her  entirely  to  the  exercise 
of  her  own  judgment. 

"  You  will,  I  trust,  not  misinterpret  this,  and  not  mar 


2o8  PHIL  IP  P  JACOB   SPENER. 

my  joyful  hope,  with  which  I  shall  to-morrow  attend, 
for  the  first  time,  the  preaching  of  the  reverend  court- 
chaplain. 

"  I  remain  your  very  humble  servant, 

"John  Sigismund  Guldenmeyer." 

"  Apostate,  treacherous  creature !"  shouted  NuUen- 
brecher,  throwing  the  letter  on  the  table.  "  Wolves  in 
sheep's  clothing,  liipi  in  pellibus  ovium,  genuine  Phar- 
isee souls,  pietistical  hypocrites,  heretical  Spenerites  !" 

He  paced  his  cell  with  long  and  rapid  strides :  but 
the  misfortune  of  not  having  sufficient  space  wherein  to 
outwalk  his  wrath,  only  fanned  it  into  a  still  greater 
flame.  The  wound  which  the  unlearned  goldsmith 
had  inflicted  upon  him,  by  doubting  his  learned  author- 
ity, smarted  him  infinitely  more  than  that  which  he  re- 
ceived from  his  blasted  hopes  in  regard  to  the  possession 
of  Elizabeth ;  and  he  gave  vent  to  his  pious  grief  in  all 
sorts  of  learned  expressions,  which,  though  loudly  ad- 
dressed to  the  walls,  have,  nevertheless,  been  entirely 
lost  to  posterity. 

"What  are  you  scolding  about?"  suddenly  ex- 
claimed Herr  von  Langendorf,  who  had  just  then  en- 
tered. "  You  are  so  completely  absorbed  in  your  learn- 
ing, my  dear  cousin,  that  you  do  not  even  hear  one 
knock.  What  is  it  that  has  so  excited  you  ?  You 
seem  altogether  changed." 

"  True,  true,  most  honored  Herr  von  Langendorf, 
and  especially  highly  esteemed  cousin,"  replied  the 
Master.  "  One  might  become  an  alter  homo,  from  pure 
anger  and  vexation." 

"  Well,  age*  will  come  soon  enough  without  such 

*The  word  alter,  which  in  Latin,  means  other,  in  German  means  age. 


EVENING   PRAYER. 


209 


helps,"  replied  the  unlatinical  cavalier,  "  I  hold  still 
with  youth  and  a  merry  life,  in  spite  of  the  penitential 
sermons  of  the  pious  Electoral  court-chaplain.  Do 
you  know  what  has  happened  ?" 

"  No  !"  answered  Nullenbrecher.  "  Has  Spener 
suddenly  met  a  happy  death?" 

"  Alas,  no!"  said  Langendorf  "  But  one,  you  know, 
might  die  of  vexation.     He   is  guilty  of  high  treason," 

"  What !"  exclaimed  the  Master,  joyfully,  ''of  crimen 
lessee  majestatis  f  Tell  me,  I  pray  you,  what  has  hap- 
pened. So  then  it  is  true  that  the  pietists  despise  and 
seek  to  subvert  all  governments,  and  hold  his  Electoral 
majesty  in  contempt?" 

"  Only  think,  cousin,"  replied  the  knight,  who  knew 
admirably  how  to  mix  up  truth  with  falsehood ;  "  this 
Spener  had  the  audacity,  nay,  what  am  I  saying,  the 
treasonable  fool-hardiness,  to  force  himself  into  the  cab- 
inet of  his  Electoral  Highness,  and  to  take  our  o-ra- 
cious  master  to  task  about  the  management  of  both  his 
public  and  private  affairs,  in  a  manner  in  which  not 
even  a  school-master  would  permit  himself  with  his 
scholars." 

"  Spener  is  nothing  but  a  schoolmaster,"  interrupted 
the  Master,  with  a  derisive  smile  and  an  air  of  proud 
contempt.  "Well,  and  how  did  the  Elector  receive 
his  arrogance  ?" 

"At  first,  very  graciously,"  replied  Langendorf,  "  un- 
deservedly graciously,  so  that  the  theatrical  perform- 
ance and  the  dance,  which  had  been  appointed  for  the 
evening  of  that  day  were  remanded  by  the  Elector's 
order  only  a  few  hours  before  the  time  appointed. 
You  can  scarcely  conceive  what  a  terror  this  spread 


2IO  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

among  the  courtiers,  and  especially  among  all  the 
beautiful  ladies.  Only  think,  cousin,  weeks,  yea, 
months,  had  been  devoted  to  the  preparation  of  cos- 
tumes, and  the  study  of  the  newest  French  dances; 
weeks,  yea,  months,  of  joys,  hopes  and  anticipations — 
and  all  in  vain!  In  vain  had  been  the  expenditure  of 
many  bright  pieces  of  gold  ;  in  vain  the  expectations 
of  many  timid  souls  to  form  suitable  beginnings  for 
flirtations ;  in  vain  everything — and  do  you  know 
why?  On  account  of  your  dear,  excellent  Spener, 
who,  in  his  hypocrisy,  succeeded,  in  a  moment  of  weak- 
ness, in  softening  the  heart  of  our  good  Elector,  and 
filling  it  with  his  sombre  piety.  I  tell  you,  the  whole 
court  breathes  vengeance  against  this  gratuitous  mor- 
alist, who  wishes  to  convert  the  world  into  a  vale  of 
tears.  Master  Nullenbrecher,  cousin,  I  am  sure  you 
too,  have  also  studied ;  tell  me,  is  this  Lutheran  relig- 
ion? Has  not  that  excellent  man,  Dr.  Luther,  pro- 
claimed it  sufficiently  loud  through  all  the  world,  "  He 
who  loves  not  wine,  woman  and  song,  remains " 

"I  remember,"  interrupted  Nullenbrecher,  the  jeal- 
ous Lutheran,  "to  have  shown  you,  when  on  a  recent 
occasion  you  were  pleased  to  apply  this  same  couplet, 
that  this  unbiblical  inversion  of  Luther  from  Sirach  the 
nineteenth — " 

"  Pshaw,  away  with  your  learned  aversion,  my  dear 
cousin!"  deprecatingly  said  the  knight.  "L  have,  at 
present,  altogether  a  different  matter  on  hand,  if  it  only 
were  not  so  cold  and  windy  here,  that  a  man's  very 
thoughts  freeze  up.  Allow  me,  therefore,"  he  contin- 
ued, at  the  same  time  opening  the  door  and  calling  to 
the  landlady,    "  Make  haste,  good  woman,  you  know 


EVENING   PRAYER.  211 

already,  corner  house  at  the  market:  mention  my 
name,  and  they  will  give  it  you." 

^'Asina  aim  pullo^'  suggested  the  Master,  "  the  ass 
with  the  colt." 

"What  do  you  mean  by  this.?"  asked  Langendorf  in 
surprise. 

"Ay,  I  speak  of  the  ass,"  replied  the  other.  "  You 
surely  must  know,  that  in  Matthew  the  twenty-first  it 
is  written  nearly  as  you  have  just  been  pleased  to 
speak.  There  we  read,  Ye  shall  say,  the  Lord  hath 
need  of  them,  and  straightway  he  will  send  them. 
Have  you  ever  reflected,"  he  now  continued  in  his 
learned  zeal,  "  my  noble  cousin,  how  it  was  possible  to 
ride  upon  the  ass  and  the  colt  at  one  and  the  same 
time?  For  this  must  be  assumed  according  to  Zechariah 
nine,  where  is  found  the  prophetic  counterpart  to  this 
passage.  There  it  also  clearly  appears  that  by  air 
must  be  understood  the  male,  for  the  explanatory 
apposition  follows  in  the  words  ben  athonoth,  i.  e.,  the 
son  of  an  ass.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  doubtful 
whether  the  word  chanior — " 

"  Well,"  here  interposed  Herr  von  Langendorf,  who 
had  hitherto  listened  to  his  learned  cousin  with  open 
mouth  and  staring  eyes,  "  tell  me,  for  pity's  sake,  what 
you  are  driving  at  ?  May  I  never  more  be  knight  if 
I  can  comprehend  what  connection  there  is  between 
you,  or  th-e  Russian  temperature  of  your  room,  or  the 
wine  which  the  landlady  will  soon  bring  in,  and  the 
ass  r 

"All  this  happened,"  rejoined  Nullenbrecher,  ''per 
analogiam,  or  rather  per  coimminicationem  idcaruju." 

"Away  with  your  learned  exposition,"  again  inter- 


212  PHIL  IP  P   JACOB   SPENER. 

rupted  the  impatient  cousin.  "  Pardon  me,  but  one  is 
in  the  end  really  at  a  loss  to  know  whom  to  like  or 
rather  dislike  most;  the  pietist,  who  embitters  one's 
life  with  his  praying  and  preaching  penitential  sermons, 
or  the  ordinary  theologian,  who  does  the  same  thing 
with  his  stupid  learning." 

"  Pardon  me,"  rejoined  the  Master,  with  a  somewhat 
offended  air.  "  What  do  you  mean,  my  much  honored 
cousin,  by  ordinary  theologians  and  stupid  learning? 
It  is  true,  ordinary  comes  from  ordo,  ordinarius,  and 
is  therefore  originally  nearly  synonymous  with  '  ejtno- 
mos,'  as  the  church  or  the  congregation  is  called  in 
Acta  the  ninth." 

"  Here,"  exclaimed  Langendorf,  as  the  landlady  en- 
tered the  room  with  the  desired  beverage,  "  Here  is 
what  I  mean !  And  now  do  me  the  favor  to  lock  up 
your  learned  drawer,  or,  if  you  do  not,  I'll  drink  this 
golden  nectar  alone.  Come,  here's  to  your  health  and 
that  of  your  bride." 

"Eheu.f"  exclaimed  Nullenbrecher,  again  putting 
down  his  cup.  "  It  is  well,  my  honored  cousin,  that 
you  remind  me  of  it.  It  almost  seems  as  if  that  project 
had  undergone  somewhat  of  a  change.  Read  this  let- 
ter, which  I  received  shortly  before  your  esteemed 
visit." 

"What  does  all  this  mean?"  asked  the  cavalier, 
when  he  had  read  Guldenmeyer's  letter.  "  What  has 
happened  ?" 

"  Much,  very  much,"  replied  the  Master.  "  I  have 
not  had  the  honor  of  seeing  you  during  these  last 
eight  days ;  and  if  you  have  no  objection,  I  will  relate 
to  you  the  whole  affair."     And  now  he  related  what 


EVENING   PRAYER.  213 

had  happened,  in  his  presence,  at  the  house  of  the 
goldsmith ;  wisely  conceahng,  however,  his  own  part 
in  the  affair. 

"  So  then,  here  too,  we  discover  the  influence  of  this 
Spener,"  said  Herr  von  Langendorf  "  I  tell  you, 
cousin,  this  man  meddles  with  everything;  he  creates 
disturbance  near  the  throne  of  the  Elector,  no  less 
than  in  the  dwelling  of  the  citizen;  he  sows  the  seeds 
of  discord  between  the  sovereign  and  his  servant,  as 
well  as  between  parents  and  children.  This  cannot 
possibly  continue !  And  will  you  endure  all  this  so 
patiently  ?  Will  you  submit  to  being  treated,  by  this 
paltry  goldsmith,  in  such  a  dishonorable  and  perfidious 
manner?" 

"  What  can  I  do  ?"  asked  the  Master.  "  If  he  could 
be  combated  with  the  weapons  of  science,  I  would  soon 
know  what  course  to  pursue.  But  what  is  to  be  done 
with  such  blockheads  as  this  goldsmith,  who  has, 
moreover,  gone  over  to  the  pietists  ?  Science  and 
Pietism,  learning  and  Spenerism,  are  like  day  and 
night;  tliey  turn  day  into  night,  and  night  into  day,  as 
is  written  in  Job  the  seventh." 

"  Well,  my  dear  cousin,"  said  the  other,  "  in  this  I 
may  perhaps  be  able  to  aid  you!  And  in  return 
something  else  may  soon  occur,  in  which  you  may 
render  good  service  to  me,  and,  let  me  tell  you,  to  the 
entire  court.  That  vain,  proud  citizen  shall  feel  what 
it  is  to  reject,  with  such  scorn,  you,  the  son  of  the  sister 
of  my  own  father.  Do  you  know  what  was  the  cause 
of  that  sudden  indisposition  which  he  exhibited  before 
our  eyes  ?" 

"  No,"  answered  Nullenbrecher,  "and  I  must,  more- 


214  PHIL  IP  P  JACOB    SPENER. 

over,  confess  that  I  have  since  never  once  thought 
about  it." 

"  Well,  know  then,"  continued  Langendorf,  "  that  I 
found  ways  and  means  to  find  out  the  reason.  You 
may  congratulate  yourself  that  it  turned  out  as  it  has ; 
the  rich,  boasting  goldsmith  is  so  deeply  involved  in 
debt,  that  he  cannot  save  himself  from  beggary.  You 
would  have  been  obliged  to  support  the  father  and  son, 
as  well  as  the  daughter.  I  know  that  Guldenmeyer 
owes  a  citizen,  Bennhofer  by  name,  two  thousand  dol- 
lars, and  many  others  such  considerable  sums,  that  his 
whole  indebtedness  reaches  the  amount  of  five  thou- 
sand dollars.  This,  as  I  have  been  credibly  informed, 
will  take  all  of  what  is  still  left  to  him.  Now,  there  is 
indeed  a  possibility  of  his  creditors  being  silenced ;  as 
you  tell  me  that  old  Guldenmeyer  has  joined  the 
pietists,  it  is  probable  that  some  of  these  may  make  an 
effort  to  save  him,  at  least  by  satisfying  his  most 
clamorous  creditors.  For  it  is  said  that  these  pietists 
hold  strongly  together,  and  esteem  it  an  honor  to  sac- 
rifice themselves  for  their  brethren  in  the  faith.  How- 
ever, five  thousand  dollars  is  such  a  considerable  sum, 
that  these  people,  who  mostly  consist  of  poor,  impov- 
erished burghers,  will  find  it  difficult  to  raise  it.  Hence 
everything  depends  upon  all  the  creditors  demanding 
the  settlement  of  their  respective  claims  at  one  and 
the  same  time,  and  that  on  the  shortest  possible  notice, 
so  that  the  law  may  step  in  and  attach  his  entire  prop- 
erty." 

"And  how  is  this  to  be  done?"  asked  NuUenbrecher, 
who,  it  is  but  fair  to  say,  was  very  inexperienced  in 
such  schemes. 


EVENING   PRAYER. 


215 


"How  can  you  ask  such  a  question?"  replied  Herr 
von  Langendorf.  "  The  creditors  must  be  induced  to 
claim  this  money  of  this  boastful  goldsmith  on  the 
same  day,  and,  if  possible,  in  the  same  hour;  and  if  he 
does  not  satisfy  them,  which  he  certainly  cannot,  they 
must  immediately  enter  complaint  against  him  before 
the  magistrate.     Do  you  know  Mr.  Bennhofer?" 

"  No  !"  replied  the  Master. 

"  No  matter,"  continued  the  crafty  knight,  "  all  will 
be  right.  Bennhofer,  who  fortunately  has  a  strong 
hankering  after  the  goldsmith's  house,  is  the  principal 
creditor.  He  has,  moreover,  thus  far,  manifested  great 
unwillingness  to  come  to  terms,  and  a  word  is  suffi- 
cient to  set  him  on  fire.  For  further  success,  I  depend 
on  the  service  of  a  few  individuals,  who  are  skilled  and 
feel  a  delight  in  such  matters." 

"  But,"  interposed  Nullenbrecher,  "  how  will  this 
affect  Elizabeth?     Will  she  also  suffer  by  it?" 

"  Doubtless,"  replied  Langendorf  "  But  do  not  be 
frightened  on  that  account ;  for  it  seems  to  me  that 
you  still  cherish  some  attachment  to  this  perfidious 
and  ungrateful  woman.  Perhaps  this  sudden  misfor- 
tune comes  in  good  time,  to  soften  the  hardness  of 
her  heart  and  open  her  blinded  eyes.  And  in  case  of 
necessity — I  tell  you  this  to  show  my  affection  for  you — 
I  might  on  certain  conditions  step  in  and  save  the  old 
stubborn-head  from  disgrace  and  shame.  You  see, 
therefore,  my  dear  cousin,  that  my  attachment  to  you 
is  a  reality,  inasmuch  as  I  am  zealously  endeavoring 
to  avenge  the  insult  which  has  been  offered  you.  In 
return  for  all  this  I,  of  course,  expect  that  you  look 
upon  one  good  turn  as  deserving  of  another;  especially 


2i6  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

as  this  other  good  turn  works  for  your  interest  as  well 
as  mine." 

"What  do  you  mean  by  this?"  asked  Nullenbrecher. 

"Tell  me  your  real  opinion  of  the  court-chaplain," 
said  Langendorf 

"  In  regard  to  this  I  cannot  tell  you  any  thing  new," 
returned  the  Master.  "  You  will  scarcely  find  ten 
ministers  in  the  whole  of  Electorate  Saxony  who 
adhere  to  him;  for  he  is  the  head,  the  patriarch  of  a 
dangerous  sect,  which  seeks  nothing  less  than  the  ruin 
of  science,  and  the  establishment  of  a  new  Pharisaism 
in  Christendom.  How  His  Electoral  Highness  can 
permit  himself  to  be  led  by  this  dangerous  sectarian  is 
more  than  I  can  comprehend;  and  that  the  most  illus- 
trious High  Consistory  is  led  by  him,  is  evident  from 
the  fact  that  the  arch-pietist's  famulus,  Mr.  Rothner, 
and  not  I,  has  become  pastor  of  Altleben,  in  spite  of 
your  recommendation  of  myself  to  the  Elector." 

"  Is  it  indeed  so  ?"  exclaimed  the  knight.  "  Here 
then  you  see,  what  an  influence  Spener  and  his 
adherents  are  already  exerting  in  the  land.  Yet,  in 
confidence  be  it  said,  the  Elector  is  beginning  to 
change  his  opinion.  He  perceives  that  the  pietists 
aim  at  nothing  less  than  the  enslavement  of  the  heart 
and  conscience,  and  the  controlling  of  men  according 
to  their  will  alone.  The  Electress  still  persists  in  her 
attachment  to  this  proud  and  audacious  confessor,  but 
here  too  there  will  come  a  change ;  and  if  I  am  not 
deceived  in  my  presentiments  and  calculations,  the 
time  is  not  far  distant  when  the  spark  now  smouldering 
in  the  ashes  will  burst  forth  into  a  bright  flame;  and 
then,  my  reverend  cousin,  we  shall  have  work  for  you ! 
Are  you  prepared  for  it  ?" 


EVENING   PRAYER.  21/ 

"Though  I  do  not  know  precisely  to  what  you 
allude,"  replied  the  Master,  "yet  if  you,  my  much  hon- 
ored cousin,  can  in  any  way  make  use  of  the  humble 
store  of  my  wisdom,  I  shall  always  be  at  your  service. 
And  should  it  be  desired  that  my  efforts  be  directed 
principally  ac^ainst  the  hypocritical  cant  of  these 
pietists,  I  can  only  say  that  I  would  account  it  a 
great  honor  to  be  permitted  to  apply  myself  to  the 
ask  with  untiring  zeal." 

"That  is  right!"  said  Langendorf  "Union  and 
harmony  against  a  common  foe.  Yet  I  would  recom- 
mend silence  on  this  subject.  When  I  need  your 
valued  services  I  will  inform  you  of  it,  and  your 
reward  shall  not  be  withheld  from  you.  However,  I 
see  that  my  time  is  up;  His  Electoral  Highness 
expects  me!  Pardon  my  unceremonious  departure: 
if  possible,  I  will  see  you  again  to-morrow  at  the  same 
hour  as  we  met  to-day.  An  plaisir  de  vous  revoir,  mon 
cher  cousin^ 


Whilst  these  two  cousins,  in  a  certain  sense  the 
representatives  of  the  two  chief  foes  to  Spener's  work, 
namely,  dead  and  deadening  orthodoxism  and  the  lusts 
of  this  world,  which  he  had  assailed  in  their  very  found- 
ation, were  weaving  their  plans  for  the  destruction  of 
an  individual  whom  the  better  class  of  his  time 
regarded  as  a  man  after  God's  own  heart,  and  who 
was  honored  and  loved  as  a  divinely  commissioned 
deliverer  from  spiritual  distress ;  at  about  the  same 
evening  hour  in  which  the  ruin  of  an  already  unfor- 
tunate family  was  determined  upon ;  how  did  it  look 


2i8  PHILIPP  JACOB   SPENER. 

in  the  quiet  dwellings  of  those  who  were  the  several 
objects  of  this  conspiracy? 

Elizabeth  was  asleep  upon  her  chair ;  before  it  stood 
a  youth,  watching  her  breathing,  and  somewhat  further 
back,  near  the  door,  an  aged  man,  with  downcast  eyes 
and  folded  hands,  praying  inwardly :  "  In  Thee,  O 
Lord,  do  I  put  my  trust ;  let  me  never  be  put  to  con- 
fusion." 

And  in  Spener's  house  ? 

Follow  me  thither,  gentle  reader,  and  join  in  the 
evening  worship  of  a  pious  family.  We  find  parents 
and  children,  and  the  famulus  Rothner,  assembled  in 
the  parlor.  Upon  the  large,  square  table,  near  the 
stove  (for  the  proximity  of  winter  had  already  made 
fires  necessary),  stood  the  large  pewter  lamp,  which 
gave  sufficient  light  to  the  room.  The  head  of  the 
family,  attired  in  his  simple  dressing-gown,  and  his 
noble  head  covered  with  a  black  skull-cap,  sat  in  his 
arm-chair,  holding  upon  his  knee  his  little  seven-year 
old  boy  Jacob,  who  was  amusing  himself  in  winding 
his  father's  soft,  long  hair  around  his  fingers,  and 
stroking  the  short  beard  upon  his  upper  lip  and  chin. 
The  two  other  sons,  William  and  Maximilian,  sat  to 
the  right  and  left  of  the  famulus,  and  the  good  wife, 
sitting  nearer  the  stove,  was  busily  engaged  in  mend- 
ing linen,  and  in  casting,  from  time  to  time,  an  anxious 
look  toward  a  cradle  by  her-side,  in  which  the  young- 
est of  their  children,  a  little  six-months-old,  was 
sleeping. 

Maximilian,  before  whom  lay  the  Bible,  had  just 
read  the  passage  from  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  as 
recorded    in    Matthew:    "  For    1    say    unto    you,  that 


EVENING   PRAYER.  210 

except  your  righteousness  shall  exceed  the  righteous- 
ness of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  ye  shall  in  no  wise 
enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven." 

"Stop  there  a  little,  my  son,"  remarked  the  father. 
"  I  can  never  listen  to  this  verse,  without  being  wonder- 
fully affected  thereby.  What  do  you  think,  Master 
Rothner?  I  find  in  this  passage,  if  rightly  interpreted, 
the  distinctive  fundamental  doctrine  of  our  Lutheran 
Church.     Do  you  not  think  so  ?" 

"  Certainly,  reverend  Doctor,"  replied  Rothner.  "As 
far  as,  in  my  weakness,  I  am  able  to  comprehend  its 
import,  the  Lord  understands  by  better  righteousness, 
nothing  but  a  godly  and  righteous  life,  which  can  only 
proceed  from  a  sincere  faith  in  Him.  The  righteous- 
ness of  the  Pharisees  is  a  spiritless  and  heartless  obedi- 
ence to  the  letter  of  the  law,  a  work  which  proceeds 
from  external  motives,  and  not  from  a  sincere  love  to 
God  and  man ;  a  seemingly  righteous  life,  but  none  of 
the  voluntary  righteousness  of  the  children  of  God." 

"  Do  you  know,"  continued  Spener,  "that  I  owe  to 
the  interpretation  of  this  passage  one  of  the  most 
blessed  reminiscences  of  my  life?  You  are  aware  that 
this  verse  is  part  of  the  gospel  for  the  sixth  Sunday 
after  Trinity.  So  it  happened  that,  in  1669,  the  third 
year  of  my  ministry  in  Frankfurt,  I  preached  on  this 
text,  on  the  Sunday  in  question,  taking  as  my  theme, 
'The  false  righteousness  of  the  Pharisees,  and  the  true 
righteousness  of  the  children  of  God.'  The  power  of 
the  Lord  was  upon  me,  as  I  described  the  false  and 
insufficient  righteousness  of  the  Pharisees ;  and  whilst 
I  was  speaking  on  the  works  of  righteousness,  my  own 
inner  man    became  so   enlightened,   that    I    perceived 


220  PHILIPP  JACOB   SPENER. 

with  horror  that  my  righteousness  was  but  little  better 
than  that  of  the  Pharisees  themselves.  And  I  felt  con- 
strained, for  very  shame,  to  cast  down  my  eyes,  be- 
cause I  thought  every  one  was  reading  in  my  counte- 
nance what  was  passing  in  my  mind,  and  some  one 
might  even  call  out,  "  He  preaches  purity  to  others, 
and  is  himself  unclean."  Never  have  I  felt  more 
deeply  and  painfully  how  unworthy  I  am  to  be  a 
servant  of  Jesus  Christ,  than  during  that  sacred  hour, 
in  the  house  of  my  God;  and  though  nearly  twenty 
years  have  since  passed  away,  and  though  I  have,  as 
God  is  my  witness,  during  all  this  time,  not  grown 
weary  in  pressing  forward  toward  the  mark,  I  must 
still  confess  with  a  sorrowing  heart,  '  To  will  is  present 
with  me ;  but  how  to  perform  that  which  is  good,  I 
find  not.'  I  often  imposed  upon  myself  the  painful 
tajk  of  taking  up  some  one  of  my  individual  acts, 
which  I  thought  I  could  call  to  my  mind  without  any 
compunctions  of  conscience,  and  examined  and  con- 
templated and  analyzed  it  in  every  way,  in  order  to 
discover  my  motive  in  beginning,  continuing,  and  con- 
cluding it.  But  I  have,  as  yet,  not  found  one  single 
act,  which  was,  in  all  respects,  righteous  before  God. 
I  always  found  self,  my  own  honor,  my  pleasure,  my 
advantage  at  the  bottom,  however  little  I  at  first  be- 
lieved it.  And  yet  it  is  only  love  to  God  and  Christ, 
and  not  any  consideration  of  self,  that  should  constrain 
us  to  do  whatever  we  do." 

"How  difficult,"  remarked  Rothncr ;  "how  exceed- 
ingly difficult!  But  who  is  there  that  can  boast  of 
such  disinterested  love  ?" 

"None,  my  young  friend,"  replied   the   court-chap- 


EVENING  PRAYER.  221 

lain ;  for  the  only  one  on  earth  who  possessed  and 
exercised  such  love,  did  not  boast  of  it.  He  became 
obedient  unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross,  with 
the  calmness  and  majesty  of  a  God-man." 

"But,"  interposed  Mrs.  Spener,  "our  hearts  can  at 
least  feel  this  disinterested  and  faithful  love  even  unto 
death.  Do  you  not  think,  my  dear  Philipp,  that  a 
mother  could  suffer  death  for  her  child  ?" 

"Certainly,  my  dear  wife,"  replied  Spener,  "and  I 
know  that  your  love  to  me  and  our  children  has 
already,  more  than  once,  urged  you  to  encounter 
dangers  which  might  have  cost  you  your  life.  But 
mark  me  well,  dear  Susannah,  you  have  done  this, 
and  you  could  really  give  your  life  for  me  and  our 
children;  but  would  not  all  this,  after  all,  be  an  act 
of  selfishness  ?  And  there  are,  besides,  many  other 
circumstances  and  motives  which  might  influence  us 
in  the  performance  of  such  an  act,  and  thus  lessen  the 
value  of  the  sacrifice  in  the  eyes  of  a  righteous  God. 
Therefore,  I  believe,"  continued  he,  turning  to  the 
famulus,  "that  we  should  daily  thank  the  Lord  that  we 
do  not  here  walk  by  sight.  For  if  we  were  to  have 
such  a  thorough  knowledge  of  ourselves  that  nothing 
could  escape  our  spiritual  vision,  and  if  all  this  were  to 
be  reflected  back  upon  us,  by  the  mirror  of  the  Word 
of  God,  to  show  us  its  imperfection,  I  think  we  could 
never  enjoy  life  nor  its  labors.  And,  therefore,  I  can 
easily  comprehend  how  that  sermon,  preached  in 
Frankfurt,  and  which  was  afterwards  also  printed, 
affected  almost  every  heart,  though  producing  a  two- 
fold and  opposite  result;  inasmuch  as  some  resisted 
the  truth,  and  never  afterward  attended  my  preaching, 


222  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

whilst  others,  becoming  convinced  that  they  had  hith- 
erto unwittingly  played  the  Pharisee,  became  exercised 
by  a  wholesome  fear,  were  awakened  to  sincere  repent- 
ance, and  endeavored,  ever  after,  with  all  diligence,  to 
walk  in  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus." 

"  Alas,"  said  the  famulus,  "  I  fared  no  better  with 
this  passage  than  you  did.  When  I  had  finished  my 
studies  in  Leipzig,  and  reflected  upon  what  I  had 
acquired  that  was  good  and  useful,  and  how  I  might 
now  become,  to  my  fellow  beings,  a  worthy  instructor 
and  guide  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  I  was,  in  the 
consciousness  of  my  weakness,  so  overcome  by  shame, 
that  I  liad  well-nigh  relinquished  my  intention  of  pre- 
paring myself  for  the  ministry,  when  your  sermon  fell 
into  my  hands,  which,  I  must  honestly  confess  to  you, 
damped  my  ardor  still  more,  instead  of  increasing  it, 
as  I  had  hoped.  Then  I  thought,  the  man  who  can 
so  effectually  move  the  heart,  must  also  possess  the 
power  to  tranquilize  it.  And  I  ventured  to  come  to 
you  ;  and  you  not  only  received  me  into  your  house, 
and  admitted  me  to  your  table,  but  also,  I  am  proud  to 
say,  to  your  heart ;  and  I  can  never  forget  what  you 
have  done  for  me,  I  came  to  you  weak  in  faith 
and  good  works,  and  now  I  look  up  to  my  God  with 
a  free  and  strong  soul.  God  bless  you,  dear  man  of 
God;  yes,  most  sincerely,  reverend  Doctor;  you  over- 
whelm me  with  benefits,  and,  what  is  more,  I  have  not 
even  so  much  as  thanked  you  for  having  remembered 
me  before  the  Consistory,  with  a  kindness  which  I 
have  not  deserved,  and " 

"You  speak  of  your  appointment  as  pastor  of  Altle- 
ben,"    interrupted   the    court-chaplain.       "  As    regards 


EVENING   PRAYER.  223 

that,  I  am  altogether  undeserving  of  your  gratitude. 
For  I  will  not  conceal  it  from  you  that  I  spoke  in 
opposition  to  your  appointment,  and  that  I  only 
yielded,  because  all  the  rest  of  the  gentlemen  persisted 
in  sending  you  there.  For,  although  I  must  give  you 
my  testimony  that  you  would  not  enter  upon  such  a 
holy  and  important  office  unprepared,  I,  nevertheless, 
thought  that  you  were  yet  somewhat  too  young." 

"  How  much  I  thank  you  for  this,  dear  Doctor," 
replied  the  famulus.  "  Yea,  I  must  say  with  Jeremiah, 
*  I  cannot  speak,  for  I  am  a  child.'  Besides,  the  Lord 
has  not  said  to  me,  '  Say  not,  I  am  a  child,  for  thou 
shalt  go  to  all  that  I  shall  send  thee ;  and  whatsoever 
I  command  thee,  that  thou  shalt  speak.'  My  whole 
heart  keeps  me  back  with  you." 

"And  what  do  you  intend  to  do?"  asked  Spener, 
with  surprise. 

"To  stay  with  you,"  replied  Rothner ;  "that  is,  if 
you  do  not  thrust  me  from  you — to  stay  with  you,  and 
learn  what  I  shall  do." 

"  You  should  not,"  rejoined  Spener,  "  disregard  this 
call  altogether.  Meanwhile  I  will  seek  counsel  of 
God  for  you  on  the  subject,  and  tell  you  sorhe  other 
time  what  I  think  of  your  refusal." 

"  You  manifest,  towards  me,  a  father's  concern,"  said 
the  famulus ;  "  and  when  I  reflect  how  highly  princes 
and  nobles  commend  and  honor  you,  and  how  favored 
all  esteem  themselves  whom  you  regard  worthy  of 
your  society  and  correspondence,  I  am  overwhelmed 
with  shame,  on  account  of  my  insignificance  in  your 
presence,  who  are  known  over  half  of  Europe." 

"Ay,  ay,  my  dear  Rothner,"  remarked  Spener,  smil- 


224  PHIL  IP P  JACOB   SPENER. 

ing,  "it  seems  you  are  bent,  to-day,  on  flattering  me. 
How  often  must  I  repeat  to  you  tliat  I  am  not  really 
deserving  of  all  this  ?  Do  you  praise  the  trees  for 
bearing  fruit?  Certainly  not,  for  the  tree  only  yields 
what  is  expected  of  it;  but  you  praise  God,  who 
causes  it  to  bear  fruit.  And  yet,  such  a  tree  is  never- 
theless deserving  of  more  praise  than  man;  for  it  bears 
its  fruit  willingly  and  patiently,  and  cannot  be  blamed 
when  unfavorable  weather  and  storms  rob  it  of  its 
blossoms  and  fruit.  But  man  favors  too  much  the 
storms  of  sensual  pleasure  and  self-will,  which  destroy 
most  of  the  healthy  blossoms  and  fruits  on  his  life's 
tree  before  they  have  matured.  And  the  small  amount 
of  fruit  which  he  will  finally  still  retain,  is  so  poor  and 
insignificant,  that  we  cannot  sufficiently  adore  that  divine 
grace  which  still  permits  the  barren  tree  to  stand,  that 
it  may  bear  fruit.  When  you  shall  have  heard  my 
sermon  on  next  Sunday,  we  will  speak  further  on  this 
matter.  But,  my  children,  I  see  it  is  already  nine 
o'clock,  and  I  have  still  some  important  letters  to 
write.  -  Let  us  now,  before  we  separate  for  the  night, 
unite  in  prayer." 

And  after  the  children  had  ranged  themselves  in 
order  around  the  mother,  and  all  had  reverently  folded 
their  hands,  Spener  took  off  his  skull-cap  and  prayed: 

"  Merciful,  and  gracious  God,  and  Father !  By  Thy 
grace,  another  day  has  passed  away,  on  which  Thy  eye 
has  watched  over,  and  Thy  Almighty  hand  has  pro- 
tected us.  O  Lord,  we  are  utterly  unworthy  of  all 
Thy  mercy  and  faithfulness,  which  thou  hast  shown 
toward  us.  Forgive  us  all  our  sins,  which  we  have 
committed  this  day,  in  thought,  word,  and  deed,  and 


EVENING   PRAYER.  225 

grant,  that  after  having  enjoyed  Thy  protecting  care, 
during  the  night,  we  may  rise  again  to  an  evermore 
godly,  holy,  and  righteous  life.  Bless  our  slumbers ! 
We  remember  Thee  upon  our  beds,  and  meditate  on 
Thee  in  the  night-watches.  He  that  keepeth  thee, 
will  not  slumber.  Behold,  He  that  keepeth  Israel, 
shall  neither  slumber  nor  sleep.  Let  Thy  holy  watch- 
man keep  us,  and  Thy  angels  encamp  round  and  about 
us,  and  deliver  us.  Protect,  O  God,  my  wife  and 
children,  at  home  and  abroad,  and  preserve  unto  me, 
according  to  Thy  grace,  the  friends  of  my  heart,  and 
prosper  the  work  of  my  hand.  And  if  our  hour  to 
depart  and  be  out  of  the  body  should  come  during 
this  night,  grant  unto  us  a  blessed  departure  from  this 
earth,  and  a  merciful  judgment  through  Jesus  Christ, 
our  Lord.     Amen." 

"Amen,  amen!"  responded  wife  and  children  and 
Rothner.  Then  Spener  kissed  all  his  children,  and 
laying  his  hand  on  each,  blessed  them  separately,  and 
then,  as  he  was  in  the  act  of  leaving  the  room,  he 
called  to  his  wife :  "  Dear  Susannah,  charge  the  maid 
to  waken  me  at  four  in  the  morning,  and  that  she  must 
not  leave  off  calling  till  she  hears  me  getting  up.  For 
you  know  how  very  difficult  it  is  for  me  to  rouse  my- 
self from  sleep.     And  now,  God  bless  you  and  me." 

And  with  this,  the  godly  man  went  to  his  lonely 
study  with  a  cheerfulness  such  as  is  only  possessed  by 
good  men,  who  know  that  they  are  in  God,  and  God 
in  them. 


CHAPTER     XII. 


THE     TRIAL. 


"  Blessed  is  the  man  that  endureth  temptation  :  for  when  he  is  tried, 
he  shall  receive  the  crown  of  life,  which  the  Lord  hath  promised  to 
them  that  love  him." — James  i.  12. 

IN  the  house  of  the  goldsmith  the  former  appearance 
of  things  had  undergone  a  very  marked  change. 
On  previous  occasions,  when  overcome  by  uncom- 
fortable thoughts,  Guldenmeyer  had  recourse  to  his 
sorrow  extinguisher,  as  he  was  pleased  to  call  the 
juice  of  the  grape.  But  since  that  unhappy  day,  wine, 
in  which  he  still  occasionally  indulged,  would  no 
longer  extinguish  his  sorrows.  Wherever  he  looked, 
he  saw  only  the  threatening  tempest  gathering  above 
his  house.  He  desired  deliverance,  and  yet  felt  that 
most  depended,  after  all,  upon  himself  And  what  had 
he  done  ?  He  had  discharged  all  his  journeymen  but 
one,  and  had  once  more  put  his  own  hands  to  the 
work ;  he  kept  aloof  from  all  company,  attended 
church  diligently,  and  retrenched  his  household  ex- 
penses as  much  as  possible.  But  it  seemed  as  if,  with 
all  this,  no  blessing  attended  him.  He  had  become 
unaccustomed  to  work,  and  as  he  applied  himself  to 
his  business  with  the  melancholy  feeling  that  it  was 
done  only  to  save  himself  from  downright  poverty,  he 
lacked  both  the  will  and  the  energy  necessary  to 
insure  success.  His  retired  mode  of  life  and  his 
regular  attendance  at  church,  especially  the  preaching 

(226) 


THE    TRIAL. 


227 


and  examina  of  Spener,  were  such  sudden  changes, 
that  the  world's  verdict  in  regard  to  him  was  anything 
but  favorable.  It  was  justly  concluded,  that  the 
pecuniary  condition  of  the  proud  goldsmith  could  not 
be  as  flattering  as  had  been  alleged,  especially  since 
his  creditors  were  far  from  making  a  secret  of  it. 
Even  his  inclination  to  pietism,  which  was  regarded 
as  the  resort  of  all  who  had  been  reduced  in  conse- 
quence of  their  own  misdoings,  and  who  now  sought 
to  reconcile  God  and  man  by  singing  and  praying — 
even  this  newly  awakened  religious  sense  contributed 
towards  degrading  him  in  the  eyes  of  the  world.  And 
though  it  so  happened  that  owing  to  his  retired  life, 
but  few  of  these  rumors  reached  him,  the  weight  rest- 
ing upon  his  conscience  only  oppressed  him  so  much 
the  more ;  and,  as  is  sometimes  the  case,  and  that 
doubtless  in  conformity  to  a  wise  design  of  the  divine 
wisdom,  that  when  a  look  has  once  been  cast  into  the 
heart  and  conscience,  the  eye  of  the  better  spirit  then 
seeks  relentlessly  and  penetrates  the  most  secret 
depths  of  our  offences,  so  was  it  also  with  Gulden- 
meyer.  That  which  had  slumbered  for  years,  and 
which  he  had  almost  for  a  lifetime  so  skillfully  inter- 
preted that  he  had  not  only  felt  at  ease  about  it,  but 
had  actually  began  to  look  upon  it  as  worthy  of 
praise,  bexame  suddenly  alive  within  him,  and  ap- 
peared to  his  soul  as  a  heinous  crime.  He  looked 
upon  himself  as  the  sole  cause  of  his  approaching 
misfortune,  and  the  public  disgrace  that  might  be 
heaped  upon  his  name.  Whichever  way  he  turned, 
his  guilt  stared  him  in  the  face;  and  especially  the 
last  crime,  by  which   he  had  well    nigh   become  the 


228  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

murderer  of  his  own  child,  who  was  slowly,  yet 
surely  recovering.  All  this  was  illy  calculated  to 
allay  his  anxiety. 

And  it,  indeed,  seemed  as  if  God  designed  that  he 
should  drain  the  cup  of  tribulation  to  its  very  dregs. 
We  find  the  unhappy  father  on  a  raw  December 
morning  in  the  year  1688,  in  his  room,  dispirited,  de- 
jected and  helpless,  almost  ready  to  despair.  The 
door  opened  and  George  entered  with  an  almost  timid 
tread. 

"  Pardon  me,  my  dear  father,"  he  said,  "  but  I  can 
no  longer  endure  it ;  my  anxiety  about  you  consumes 
me.  Speak,  I  pray  you  ;  consider  me  not  altogether 
unworthy  of  your  confidence;  perhaps  I  may,  after  all, 
be  able  in  some  way  to  aid  you." 

"  No  one  can  aid  me,"  gloomily  replied  the  father. 

"Why  not?"  asked  George.  "Help  is  possible  in 
all  cases,  if  not  from  man,  at  least  from  God ;  and  if 
it  be  not  for  this  life,  then  it  is  surely  for  the  life  to 
come." 

"  Neither  for  this  life,  nor  for  that  which  is  to  come," 
replied  the  artisan,  in  a  disheartened  tone. 

"  My  father,"  resumed  George,  "you  are  on  a  dan- 
gerous road,  on  the  road  to  despair  !  I  beseech  you, 
for  God's  sake,  speak,  and  trust  in  the  Lord.  What 
has  happened  ?  What  did  the  sheriff  bring  you  this 
morning  ? 

The  goldsmith  regarded  his  son  with  a  sullen  look  ; 
but  when  he  read  in  his  countenance  the  deepest  sor- 
row and  the  sincerest  sympathy,  his  heart  melted 
within  him ;  he  turned  away  to  hide  his  face,  and  re- 
plied, "  You  want  to  know  what  the  sheriff  brought 
me  ?     Beggary  !" 


THE    TRIAL.  22Q 

"  God  preserve  you  from  that!"  exclaimed  the  son. 
"  It  shall  not  come  to  this,  as  long  as  I  have  hands  to 
work." 

"Not  come  to  this  ?"  asked  the  father,  with  a  painful 
smile.  "  It  has  already  come  to  this.  Here,  take,  this 
and  read,  and — know  my  disgrace." 

George  took  the  paper  which  his  father  held  out  to 
him.  He  glanced  hastily  over  it,  then  bowed  his  head 
sorrowfully  and  exclaimed,  "This  is  hard,  very  hard!" 

"  Well,"  resumed 'the  father,  "what  have  you  read? 
How  do  you  like  the  threat  it  contains,  namely :  that 
all  my  goods  and  chattels,  house  and  lands,  must  be 
sold  if  I  do  not  satisfy  my  creditors  within  fourteen 
days  ?" 

"And  cannot  you  do  it  ?" 

This  question  made  upon  the  unfortunate  man  the 
deepest  impression.  The  necessity  of  confessing  his 
insolvency  to  his  son  was  almost  too  humiliating,  and 
his  former  pride  tempted  him  anew  to  have  recourse 
to  a  falsehood.  But  the  better  spirit,  for  the  time  be- 
ing, gained  the  ascendency.  With  a  degree  of  self- 
denial  of  which  he  had  before  not  considered  himself 
capable,  he  replied,  "  No,  my  son,  I  can  not.  I  will 
not  conceal  from  you  that  I  have  become  so  far  re- 
duced in  my  pecuniary  affairs  by  my  own  fault,  that 
if  assistance  does  not  soon  come,  I  am  lost.  My 
credit  is  gone ;  all  my  creditors,  who  only  three 
weeks  ago  would  have  unhesitatingly  trusted  me 
with  double  and  treble  the  amount  of  their  claims, 
are  now  afraid  of  losing  even  what  I  do  owe  them. 
I  might  still  save  myself,  if  they  would  give  me  time, 
but  they  have  no  longer  any  confidence  in  me.     Even 


230  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

my  penitence,  even  my  endeavors  to  make  amends  for 
the  evil  I  have  done,  is  interpreted  to  my  prejudice. 
The  fact  of  my  avoiding  their  society,  of  no  longer 
frequenting  drinking  saloons,  but  of  attending  the 
preaching  and  examina  of  Spener,  for  the  purpose  of 
confirming  my  good  resolutions,  all  is  adduced  as  so 
much  evidence  that  I  am  a  ruined  man,  which  I  cer- 
tainly am,  for  they  make  me  one.  Ah,  my  son,  why 
is  it,  that  all  these  heavy  troubles  must  befall  me,  just 
at  the  time  of  my  spiritual  regeneration?" 

"Why?"  asked  George,  and  his  eyes  beamed  with 
holy  fervor.  "  O,  if  I  could  only  tell  you  what  I  feel, 
or  repeat  to  you  what  I  so  often  have  heard  from  the 
lips  of  the  reverend  doctor.  First,  dear  father,  we 
should  not  ask  this  question  at  all ;  for  who  hath 
known  the  mind  of  the  Lord,  or  who  hath  been  His 
counselor?  As  long  as  we  still  ask  the  Lord  impa- 
tiently, *  Why  dost  Thou  this?'  so  long  will  we  also 
find  no  rest  for  our  souls.  '  Every  affliction,'  says 
Spener,  '  is  designed  to  aid  the  Christian  in  glorifying 
God;  for  it  is  just  in  our  afflictions  that  God  keeps 
His  wisest  designs  concealed  for  our  real  good ;  and  it 
is  made  the  business  of  the  Christian  to  search,  submit 
and  wrestle  until  he  has  learned  to  know  the  ways  of 
the  Lord."  " 

"  Alas,  what  courage  this  requires  !"  exclaimed  the 
goldsmith,  sorrowfully. 

"Courage  indeed,"  continued  the  son;  "but  a  believ- 
ing heart  is  never  wanting  in  courage.  Faith  saves 
only  after  it  has  imparted  strength  and  courage  to  the 
heart  of  man,  both  to  perform  the  works  of  faith  and 
to  endure  to  the  end." 


THE    TRIAL,  23  I 

"  Do  you  mean  to  say,"  asked  the  father,  "  that  I  am 
wanting  in  faith  ?" 

"  If  I  may  be  candid,  dear  father,"  replied  George, 
"  I  answer  yes.  It  is  only  lately  that  the  bandage  has 
been  removed  from  my  own  eyes.  What  we  have 
hitherto  been  accustomed  to  call  faith  is  only  such  as  we 
find,  for  instance,  in  Master  Nullenbrecher;  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  Bible,  a  treasuring  up  of  a  multitude  of 
passages  of  Scripture  in  our  memories,  without  refer- 
ence or  application  to  a  Christian  life.  The  reverend 
father  Spener  remarked  at  one  time  in  one  of  his 
examina,  the  first  which  I  attended  in  company  with 
Elizabeth,  'That  the  faith  of  many  individuals  in  our 
day,  appeared  to  him  like  a  magnificently  built  house 
in  which  everything  is  as  judiciously  and  neatly  ar- 
ranged as  can  be  desired.'  '  But,'  added  he,  '  it  is  not 
occupied  by  suitable  tenants  to  keep  it  in  order  and 
maintain  a  proper  government.  The  proper  tenants 
are  Christ  and  His  Word,  and  the  Spirit  of  the  Father 
and  the  Son.  But  as  a  general  thing  it  is  occupied  by 
man  himself,  with  his  self-conceit  and  caprice.  Hence 
it  comes  that  the  house,  however  sensible  and  hand- 
some in  its  arrangement,  has  nevertheless,  no  solid 
foundation,  and  will  fall  into  decay  as  soon  as  it 
becomes  exposed  to  the  storm.'" 

"  Though  I  do  not  altogether  understand  what  you 
say,"  remarked  the  father,  who,  whilst  earnestly  reflect- 
ing on  these  words,  had,  for  the  moment,  entirely  for- 
gotten his  miseiy,  "yet  I  feel  as  if  it  contained  much 
truth." 

"  Well,  dear  father,"  continued  George,  "I  will  tell 
you  how  I  understood  it.     According  to  the  teachings 


232  PHILIPP  JACOB   SPENER. 

of  the  Holy  Scripture,  I  look  upon  the  human  heart  as 
the  proper  and  only  temple  where  God's  honor  and 
our  salvation  dwell.  For  all  faith  comes  from  the 
heart  alone.  Spener  said,  in  his  last  examina,  at 
which  you  also  were  present,  that  the  whole  of  Chris- 
tianity, with  its  commandments  and  promises,  was 
designed  only  for  the  heart,  and  not  for  subtle  reason. 
For  if  one  were  ever  so  learned  and  wise,  he  still  could 
not  find  out  God  and  His  essence ;  and  all  we  knew  of 
it,  was  only  revealed,  and  that  not  to  the  understand- 
ing, but  to  the  religious  sense  of  man.  Hence  there 
could  not  any  passage  be  found  in  the  whole  Bible,  in 
which  Christ  said  that  He  had  come  to  make  learned 
men  of  us,  except  where  allusion  is  made  to  that  wis- 
dom of  which  the  fear  of  the  Lord  is  the  beginning. 
For  this  reason  the  Scripture  defines  faith  as  the  sub- 
stance of  things  hoped  for,  the  evidence  of  things  not 
seen." 

As  the  father  continued  to  observe  a  pensive  silence, 
George  resumed :  "  If  I  could  only,  dear  father,  make 
it  as  clear  to  you  as  it  is  to  my  own  mind,  why  it  is, 
just  now,  that  affliction  has  come  upon  you  !  I  think, 
my  good  father,  you  should  be  thankful  to  God  for  not 
letting  you  wait  long  for  a  trial  of  your  faith.  For  it 
is  an  evidence  of  the  grace  of  God  that  bringeth  salva- 
tion, that  it  teaches  us,  and  makes  it  difficult  for  us 
to  live  soberly,  righteously  and  godly  in  this  world. 
Moreover,  I  beseech  you,  do  not  give  up  all  for  lost. 
If  you  should  succeed  in  satisfying  your  most  clamor- 
ous creditors,  would  the  rest  put  off  their  claims  ?  I 
know  an  expedient.  Send  me,  or  go  yourself  to  Eliza- 
beth's godfather,  Mr.  Albcrti;  he  is  a  rich  man,  and 


THE    TRIAL. 


233 


has  besides  received  many  acts  of  love  and  friendship 
at  your  hands.  Frankly  confide  your  situation  to  him, 
and  perhaps  he  may  be  willing  to  go  your  security, 
and  then,  with  the  help  of  God,  we  will  be  able  to  get 
out  of  this  difficulty." 

The  goldsmith  gave  a  melancholy  smile  and  replied, 
"  Mr.  Alberti  is  one  of  my  most  clamorous  creditors, 
and  has  already  sent  me  two  letters.  They  are  all  of 
them  heartless  and  unfeeling  men.  No,  my  son,  I 
have  already  thought  over  all  the  names  of  my  former 
friends,  without  finding  a  single  one  to  whom  I  could 
unbosom  myself  I  see  plainly  that  there  is  no  help 
for  me;  and  yet,"  he  continued,  after  a  short  pause,  "I 
know  one  who  might  help  me,  if  he  would;  but  I  doubt 
whether  he  would  be  willing,  for  I  have  too  grievously 
insulted  him." 

"  Whom  do  mean,  dear  father,"  asked  George. 

"Mr.  Petermann,"  replied  Guldenmeyer,  in  a  de- 
jected manner,  at  the  same  time  coloring  deeply,  "  the 
school-master  of  Lockwitz." 

"  There  you  are  doubtless  mistaken,"  remarked 
George.  "  Petermann  is  poor,  and  the  office  he  holds 
does  not  leave  him  much  to  spare.  If  he  could  help 
you,  you  would  have  been  helped  already." 

"Yes,  indeed,  my  son,"  said  the  father,  with  a  melan- 
choly look,  "I  might  have  been  helped  already,  if  I 
had  only  been  willing  to  be  helped."  And  he  was  on 
the  point  of  relating  the  whole  of  his  last  interview 
with  Petermann,  but  his  courage  failed  him,  and  he 
only  said,  "  I  know  to  a  certainty  that  Petermann  can 
help  me,  if  he  will." 

"Well,"  said  George,  cheerfully  and  earnestly,  "send 


234  PIIILIPP  JACOB   SPENER. 

me  instantly  to  him.  For  you  must  know  that  Mr. 
Petermann  is  very  kindly  disposed  towards  me,  and 
manifests  such  a  paternal  solicitude  in  my  behalf,  that  I 
am  altogether  at  a  loss  to  know  how  or  by  what  means 
I  have  made  myself  worthy  of  it.  Send  me  to  him,  and, 
I  warrant  you,  I  shall  not  return  empty-handed." 

"  My  dear  son,"  said  the  father,  whilst  his  voice 
trembled,  "  has  Petermann  never  yet  told  you  why  he 
thinks  so  much  of  you?" 

"No,"  replied  the  son,  in  the  greatest  surprise.  "It 
is  true,  since  my  return  from  Italy,  much  has  appeared 
mysterious  to  me ;  and  I  confess  to  you,  that  my  heart 
trembles  at  the  solution  which  I  myself  would  give ; 
therefore,  have  pity  on  me,  dear  father,  and  relieve  me 
of  the  anxiety  which  consumes  me." 

"  George,"  continued  the  goldsmith,  "  Petermann  is 
the  brother  of  your  sainted  mother — alas,  that  I  must 
make  such  a  confession  to  you — George,  my  son, 
child  of  sorrow  of  an  unfortunate  woman — George,  I 
am  not  your  father." 

George  stood  before  the  speaker  as  if  paralyzed ;  his 
breast  heaved  convulsively,  and  glistening  tears  coursed 
down  his  pale  cheeks.  Silently,  unless  tears  be  re- 
garded as  an  eloquent  speech,  he  fell  on  the  goldsmith's 
neck,  and  wept  like  a  child  that  had  lost  its  father. 

"  Yes,  dear  George,"  Guldenmeyer  continued,  "if  you 
knew  what  a  heavy  and  terrible  crime  rests  upon  my 
conscience,  you  would  turn  from  me  with  abhorrence. 
May  God  give  me  strength,  some  day,  to  tell  you  all, 
for  I  am  not  able  to  do  so  at  present.  And  now, 
George,  what  do  you  intend  to  do  ?  Thousands  will 
not  blame  you  if  you  turn  away  from  me  in  my  mis- 


THE    TRIAL. 


235 


fortune.  Will  you  remain  faithful  to  me  in  the  day  of 
my  calamity  ?" 

"God  pardon  you  this  doubt,"  replied  George;  "I 
have  not  deserved  it.  My  heart  will  call  you  father  as 
long  as  it  beats.  Yet  one  thing  more,"  he  suddenly 
exclaimed,  and  it  seemed  as  if  life  and  death  depended 
on  the  answer  to  his  question.  "  Elizabeth  — is  not  my 
sister  ?" 

"  If  your  love  does  not  make  her  such,  no  !"  replied 
Guldenmeyer,  "  you  are  as  little  related  to  each  other 
by  ties  of  consanguinity,  as  an  otherwise  melancholy 
fate  has  united  you." 

"  Do  you  speak  truth  ?"  asked  George,  with  trembling 
excitement.  "  Is  it  indeed  so,  that  Elizabeth — your 
daughter  Elizabeth — my  precious  Elizabeth — is  not  my 
sister  ?" 

"  Certainly  not,"  replied  the  artisan,  "  as  I  hope  for 
mercy  at  the  throne  of  God." 

"  O,  where  shall  I  carry  the  joy  of  my  heart?"  ex- 
claimed he,  in  an  ecstasy.  "  To  her  !  to  her  !"  he  con- 
tinued, and  rushed  towards  the  door. 

"  For  pity's  sake,  George,  stay,"  remonstrated  the 
father,  as  he  drew  him  back.  "  Do  you  wish  to  kill 
my  child  with  the  storm  of  your  joy  ?  Besides,  you 
are  too  late ;  Elizabeth  already  knows  it. 

"  So  this,  then,  was  her  secret !"  said  George,  in 
great  surprise.  "  Now,  I  for  the  first  comprehend  you, 
Elizabeth,  good,  pure  Elizabeth,  I  comprehend  your 
conflict,  and  stand  abashed  before  the  magnitude  of 
your  victory.  And  you,  my  dear  father,  you,  the 
creator  of  my  present  blissful  joy,  my  bq;iefactor  and 
protector,  as  far  as  memory  carries  me  back,  should 


236  PHILIPP  JACOB   SPENER. 

you  be  unhappy,  whilst  I  can  scarcely  contain  myself 
for  happiness?  No,  allow  me  to  leave  you;  I  must  go 
to  Lockwitz,  I  must  speak  to  Petermann ;  you  must 
have  help,  and  that  this  very  day." 

"  Hold,  my  son,"  said  the  father ;  "  do  not  be  rash  ; 
I  fear  your  efforts  will  be  vain.  And  yet,"  he  contin- 
ued, putting  his  hand  to  his  eyes,  "  if  he  would  save 
me — save  me  from  shame  and  disgrace — how  willingly, 
how  very  willingly  and  gratefully  would  I  accept  his 
help!  Do  you  know, my  son,  what  I  feel  that  I  ought 
to  do  ?     I  will  go  with  you  to  Lockwitz." 

George  accepted  this  proposal  with  the  greatest 
pleasure,  and  urged  an  immediate  departure.  And 
now,  after  both  had  vied  with  each  other  in  their 
care  and  attention  for  the  comfort  of  Elizabeth,  and, 
especially  after  George  had  charged  the  nurse,  by  all 
that  was  sacred,  to  exercise  all  necessary  watchfulness 
over  her,  both  men  might  have  been  seen  passing  out 
at  the  Pirna  gate,  pursuing,  with  all  possible  speed, 
their  way  to  Lockwitz. 

On  they  go,  these  two,  urged  onward  by  one  motive, 
for  the  attainment  of  one  end !  And  yet  how  different 
their  feelings !  The  son,  with  the  full  conviction  that 
his  plan  would  succeed;  the  father,  with  a  just  appre- 
hension that  his  visit  would  be  in  vain:  the  first,  in  the 
consciousness  of  his  love ;  the  other,  in  the  knowledge 
of  his  guilt.  Is  this  not  a  picture  of  mankind  in  gen- 
eral, in  their  journey  through  life?  Look  around  you, 
O,  Christian,  and  you  will  find  many  a  one  who  does 
not  walk  upon  a  bed  of  roses,  and,  who,  in  the  sweat  of 
his  brow  and  with  anxious  thought,  toils  early  and 
late  for  his  daily  bread   and  that  of  his   family,  and 


THE    TRIAL. 


237 


upon  whose  shoulders  rest,  besides  many  other  heavy- 
crosses  of  human  injustice,  protracted  sickness,  and 
whatever  else  enters  alike  the  hut  of  the'poor  and  the 
palace  of  the  rich  against  our  wishes ;  and  yet  he  pur- 
sues his- difficult  way  courageously  and  undismayed, 
eats  his  bread  with  a  contented  mind,  and  says,  "  It 
might  be  much  worse."  Whence  comes  this  courage, 
this  contentment,  this  joy  in  the  midst  of  tribulation  ? 
It  proceeds  from  the  consciousness  of  love  from  and  to 
Him  who  first  loved  us,  who  numbered  our  days 
when,  as  yet,  in  continuance,  they  were  not,  who  draws 
us  to  Himself  by  His  love;  it  proceeds  from  the  con- 
sciousness of  the  comforting  assurance,  that  the  Lord, 
who  has  helped  us  hitherto,  will  continue  to  help  us  in 
the  future;  it  proceeds,  in  a  word,  from  the  conscious- 
ness of  intimate  communion  with  God.  And,  do  you 
wish  for  a  counterpart,  the  mournful  picture  presented 
by  those  who  begin  even  the  good  they  do  with  fear 
and  trembling,  who  have  no  faith,  neither  in  them- 
selves, nor  in  God,  nor  in  humanity?  Whence  comes 
this  desponding,  this  faint-heartedness  ?  It  arises  from 
their  consciousness  of  the  great  gulf  which  has  opened 
between  themselves  and  their  Father  in  heaven;  it 
comes  from  a  feeling  of  a  lack  of  being  accustomed  to 
endure  and  suffer  with  God  to  the  end;  it  comes  from 
that  timidity  which  arises  from  a  want  of  acquaintance 
with  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord;  it  comes  from  ignorance 
of  Him  who  died  upon  the  cross  for  our  sins,  and  was 
raised  again  from  the  dead  for  our  justification.  If  a 
celebrated  poet,  who  has  examined  and  made  himself 
familiar  with  this  earthly  life  in  its  entire  compre- 
hension, calls  life  a  sweet  and  agreeable  habitude  of 


2^8  PHILIP P  JACOB   SPENER. 

being  and  working,  then  the  Christian  who  has  learned 
to  view  this  temporal  life  in  its  relation  to  heaven, 
can  say  with' equal  truth,  the  Christian  life  is  a  sweet 
and  agreeable  practice  of  being  and  working  in  God 
through  Christ. 

We  direct  our  attention  again  to  those  two  men, 
who,  in  consequence  of  the  raw  autumnal  winds  which 
already  swept  with  wintry  coldness  across  the  barren 
fields,  found  their  walk  so  unpleasant,  that  George 
more  than  once  insisted  on  his  father's  turning  back, 
with  the  assurance  that  he  unaided  would  be  able  to 
bring  the  affair  to  a  happy  end.  But  the  goldsmith 
abided  by  his  resolution  to  lay  his  request  in  person 
before  the  schoolmaster,  because  he  felt  that  he  had 
too  much  to  atone  for. 

When  they  had  arrived  near  the  schoolhouse  the 
father  restrained  the  son  in  his  haste,  and  said,  "  Wait 
a  little,  George;  I  feel  too  heavy  about  my  heart.  I 
have  been  studying  all  the  way  here  how  to  lay  my 
request  before  him,  but  my  thoughts  have  utterly  for- 
saken me ;  I  know  not  howto  begin." 

"  Let  me  see  to  that,"  said  George,  with  a  cheerful 
look,  as  he  stepped  up  to  the  house.  The  father,  with 
his  head  bowed  down,  followed.  On  knocking,  how- 
ever, no  one  answered.  "  Can  it  be  that  he  is  absent 
from  home?"  anxiously  asked  the  father. 

"No,"  replied  George;  "I  know  his  way.  Let  us 
enter  in  God's  name."  They  did  so,  and  found  the 
room  empty. 

"  He  is  not  in  the  house,"  said  the  goldsmith,  confi- 
dently. "It  is  so  ordered  that  we  are  not  to  meet 
with  him." 


THE    TRIAL.  239 

"  Do  not  despair,"  comforted  the  son.  "  He  must  be 
about  the  house  somewhere,  for  I  see  his  cane  stand- 
ing in  the  corner,  and  he  never  goes  out  without  it. 
The  door  to  his  chamber  is  half  ajar,  he  must  certainly 
be  there !"  And  with  this  he  called  out,  "  Mr.  Peter- 
mann!" 

"Who  calls?"  replied  a  faint  voice  from  within  the 
chamber. 

"  It  is  he,"  said  the  artisan,  softly  and  anxiously  to 
George.  "  Go  you  alone  into  his  room,  whilst  I  stay 
here ;  for  I  must  first  collect  my  thoughts  before  I  can 
enter." 

George  entered  the  chamber.  "  Ah,  me !"  he  ex- 
claimed, on  beholding  the  schoolmaster  lying  sick  in 
bed.     "What  has  happened  you,  Mr.  Petermann  ?" 

"A  slight  indisposition,  my  dear  son,"  replied  the 
schoolmaster,  smiling.  "  To-morrow,  God  willing,  I 
shall  get  up  again.  But  what  has  brought  you  to 
me  ?     How  is  your  sister  Elizabeth?" 

"  God  be  thanked,"  replied  the  brother,  "  she  is 
gradually  improving.  She  still  experiences  some  diffi- 
culty in  speaking,  but  the  physician  assured  me  this 
morning,  that,  in  a  few  weeks,  she  would  be  able  to 
leave  her  bed." 

"  How  does  she  bear  her  affliction?"  asked  Peter- 
mann, further. 

"  Like  a  true  disciple  of  Spener,"  said  George. 
"  She  needs  no  consolation,  for  she  does  not  even 
admit  that  she  is  afflicted,  and  comforts  every  one 
who  approaches  her  bed-side  with  regrets  and  com- 
plaints. O,  what  a  good  and  pure  soul  that  girl 
has !" 


240  PHILIP P   JACOB   SPENER. 

"And  how  is  it  with  yourself,  my  son  ?"  continued 
the  schoolmaster. 

"  With  me  ?"  replied  George.  "  O,  dear  Mr  Peter- 
mann  ! — "  He  interrupted  himself,  for  he  was  on  the 
point  of  communicating  the  secret,  which  had  only 
recently  been  revealed  to  him,  and,  at  the  same  time,  to 
assure  himself  of  its  correctness.  But  his  courage  sud- 
denly forsook  him,  and  a  deep  blush  crimsoned  his  face. 
He  again  took  up  the  question  of  the  schoolmaster, 
and  said  :  "  Well,  God  has  ever  manifested  towards 
me  His  mercy  and  faithfulness;  but,  dear  Mr.  Peter- 
mann,  why  do  you  not  also  inquire  after  my  father?" 

"  God  has  already  inquired  after  him,"  replied  he, 
gloomily. 

"You  seem  to  be  angry  with  my  father,"  said 
George.  "  That  would  be  doubly  distressing  at  this 
time,  when  he  and  all  of  us  have  counted  on  your 
kindness.  Mr.  Petermann,  a  great  misfortune  is  about 
to  befall  us." 

"  Thank  God  for  it,"  quickly  exclaimed  the  school- 
master, "  that  He  makes  such  haste  with  you  ;  for  it  is 
not  every  one  whom  the  Lord  above  treats  with  such 
favor." 

"Mr.  Petermann!"  exclaimed  George,  in  painful  sur- 
prise, "  you  cannot  be  in  earnest,  in  what  you  say,  for 
you  surely  would  not  wish  any  one  to  be  unfortunate." 

"  Certainly  not,"  replied  the  other,  "  for,  on  earth, 
there  is  no  such  thing  as  misfortune." 

"  No  misfortune  on  earth  ?"  asked  George,  in  aston- 
ishment. 

"  Well,  then,  my  son,"  continued  Petermann,  "  name 
me  a  misfortune !     Is  poverty,  or  sickness,  or  lowliness, 


THE    TRIAL. 


241 


or  ignominy  and  shame,  or  scorn,  or  even  death,  a 
misfortune  ?  There  is,  in  fact,  only  one  real  misfortune, 
and  that  is  one  which  reaches  up  to  heaven,  namely, 
that  of  standing  afar  off,  and  not  being  able  to  lift  up 
one's  eyes,  and  smite  upon  one's  breast,  and  say: 
"  God,  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner."  But  there  is,  for- 
tunately, the  very  best  remedy  for  this  one  misfortune, 
offered  to  all  who  are  willing  to  be  helped.  Whatever 
else  the  world  calls  a  misfortune  is  only  the  world's 
notion,  the  world's  error,  the  world's  baseness." 

"And  what  do  you  call  it,"  remarked  George,  in  a 
sorrowful  tone,  whilst  he  looked  beseechingly  into  the 
old  schoolmaster's  eyes — "  what  do  you  call  it,  when 
an  old  man  is  driven  out  of  house  and  home,  when  he 
must  lose  his  good  name,  and  be  dishonored,  and  go 
forth,  broken-hearted,  to  earn  a  miserable  subsistence 
— what  do  you  call  all  this,  if  it  be  not  a  misfortune  ?" 

"  I  would  call  this  exceedingly  fortunate,"  replied 
Petermann,  with  the  most  quiet  composure. 

"  Mr.  Petermann,"  continued  George,  with  painful 
vehemence,  grasping  his  hand.  "  What  do  you  call 
him,  who  can  save  from  ignominy  and  shame,  misery 
and  despair,  but  does  not  do  it? — what  do  you  call 
him  ?" 

Petermann  turned  away  his  face  and  remained  silent. 
Then  the  goldsmith  tottered  into  the  chamber,  grasped 
his  hand,  and  said  :  "  Andrew,  I  am  that  unfortunate 
one  who  begs  for  help ;  can  you  forgive  me  ?" 

When  Petermann  heard  his  voice,  he  seemed  terror- 
stricken.  After  a  short  conflict  of  indecision,  he  turned 
his  face  again,  raised  himself  on  his  couch,  and  re- 
plied firmly:  "God  knows,  I  have  forgiven  you." 


242  PHIL  IP P  JACOB    SPENER. 

"  Then  save  me,  Andrew,"  exclaimed  Guldenmeyer, 
"  You  can  do  it." 

"Ask  salvation  from  the  Lord!"  said  Petermann, 
with  steady  calmness. 

"  Friend,  brother,"  continued  the  goldsmith,  "  have 
pity  on  me !  In  the  name  of  your  sainted  sister,  com- 
passionate me  in  my  distress — suffer  me  not  to  be  pub- 
licly disgraced." 

"  In  the  name  of  my  blessed  sister !"  repeated  the 
schoolmaster,  covering  his  eyes  with  his  hands.  "She 
has  left  you  a  legacy,  Sigismund.  The  time  has  now 
come  to  deliver  it  to  you."  With  this  he  handed  him 
a  discolored  and  shabby-looking  letter,  which  he  had 
taken  out  of  his  under  waist-coat.  "  You  tremble, 
Sigismund,"  resumed  Petermann,  quickly,  as  the  gold- 
smith remained  standing  as  if  turned  to  stone,  before 
this  witness  of  his  heinous  crime.     "  Had  you  trembled 

when  you  wrote  this  letter, yet,  who  am  I,"  he 

interrupted  himself,  and  again  resumed  his  former 
calmness,  "who  am  I,  that  I  should  judge  another 
man's  servant !  Sigismund,  take  this  letter  and  destroy 
it;  the  ring  of  which  you  know,  I  have  taken  out  of 
it.     In  due  time  it  too  shall  be  disposed  of" 

"  Andrew,"  now  began  the  goldsmith,  "  if  you  felt 
my  torment,  you  would  once  more  have  compassion  on 
me.  I  pray  you,  for  the  sake  of  the  days  of  our 
youth,  for  the  sake  of  my  hope  in  the  mercy  of  God, 
save  me  from  ignominy  and  shame." 

Petermann  turfied  away,  and  said,  in  a  low,  hollow 
tone,  "It  is  too  late;  I  cannot." 

'"  Yes,  you  can,"  interrupted  George,  in  a  beseeching 
tone;  "dear  Mr.  Petermann — yes,  now  I  have  the  cour- 


THE    TRIAL. 


243 


age  to  say  it ;  brother  of  my  sainted  mother,  for  her 
sake,  for  mine,  for  Elizabeth's  sake,  be  entreated." 

"  It  is  too  late,  I  tell  you,"  replied  the  schoolmaster, 
with  fixed  determination.  "  Sigismund,  listen  to  me ! 
Do  you  know  the  saying,  'Whosoever  endures  unto 
the  end  shall  be  saved?'  Go,  then,  and  God's  Holy 
Spirit  lead  you  in  a  plain  path!" 

After  having  uttered  these  words,  the  singular  man 
again  stretched  himself  upon  his  couch,  turned  his 
face  toward  the  wall,  and  drew  the  cover  up  to  his 
chin.  The  goldsmith,  tormented  by  gloomy  thoughts, 
stared  vacantly  about,  and  then,  as  if  moved  by  a  sud- 
den resolution,  took  George  by  the  hand,  and  hastened 
with  him  out  of  the  house. 

After  the  two  had  left,  Petermann  folded  his  hands, 
saying :  "  Forgive  me,  merciful  God ;  I  said — it  is  too 
late!  but  Thou  knowest  my  heart  meant — it  is  too 
soon!  For  Thy  Son  has  Himself  said:  '  He  that  en- 
dureth  unto  the  end,  the  same  shall  be  saved.'" 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

THE    IMPOVERISHED    FAMILY. 

"  Yet  a  little  sleep,  a  little  slumber,  a  little  folding  of  the  hands  to 
sleep ;  so  shall  thy  poverty  come  as  one  that  travelleth,  and  thy  want 
as  an  armed  man.'' — Prov,  vi.  lo,  ii. 

DURING  the  latter  half  of  the  month  of  February, 
of  the  year  1689,  the  unusually  severe  winter, 
which  at  that  time  had  held  Northern  Europe,  and 
especially  Germany,  in  its  icy  embrace,  had  somewhat 
relaxed  its  merciless  rigor.  Humanity  awoke  to  a 
new  life,  and  impatiently  counted  the  days  that  were 
yet  to  pass  before  the  commencement  of  spring.  The 
goodly  city  of  Dresden,  too,  looked,  with  anxious 
longing,  towards  the  Bohemian  mountains,  as  if  to 
implore  the  balmy  south  wind  to  remove  the  icy 
covering  from  off  the  River  Elbe,  and  thus  again 
restore  navigation ;  for  grain  began  to  rise  in  price, 
notwithstanding  the  many  heavily-laden  boats,  both  to 
the  north  and  to  the  south,  which  were  intended  to 
provide  the  capital  with  provision. 

That,  during  such  severe  winters,  the  poor  citizen 
must  suffer  most,  and,  consequently,  also  looks  with 
the  greatest  impatience  for  longer  and  warmer  days,  is 
as  true  as  that  the  humane  relief,  extended  by  the  rich 
and  noble,  may,  indeed,  to  some  extent,  alleviate,  but 
cannot  altogether  remove  the  general  want. 

We  enter  the  Pirnaien  subui"b,  where  we  find,  in  St. 
John  street,  nearly  opposite  St.  John's  church,  in  a  very 

(^44) 


THE   IMPOVERISHED   FAMILY.  245 

humble  dwelling,  a  poor  family,  sharing  in  this  same 
impatience,  and  having,  besides,  another  heavy  cross  to 
bear.  Within  a  small  chamber,  poorly,  but  very  neatly 
furnished,  and  in  which  a  few  articles  spoke  of  better 
circumstances,  we  find  a  man  whose  appearance  seems 
to  indicate  that  he  is  fast  approaching  old  age,  earnestly 
engaged  in  mending  broken  chains  and  rings.  As  skill- 
ful as  he  showed  himself  at  his  work,  and  as  contented 
as  he  might  have  been  over  it,  so  little  did  this  content- 
ment exhibit  itself  in  his  countenance.  He  now  laid 
aside  his  work  and  said,  "  What  I  once  would  scarcely 
have  required  of  my  poorest  journeyman,  yea,  what  is 
really  nothing  but  apprentice-work,  must  now  be  per- 
formed by  the  master,  and  all  this  for  that  scanty  bite 
of  bread  which  is  daily  growing  less,  in  spite  of  all  my 
toil.  This  grief  gnaws  away  my  life,  and  will  destroy 
it,  much  as  I  endeavor,  with  Divine  assistance,  to  bear 
my  self-inflicted  misery.  My  strength  is  broken.  A 
righteousness,  which  passes  current  with  God  and 
man,  is  difficult  to  be  acquired  in  old  age." 

Hereupon,  he  assumed  a  pensive  look,  as  if  think- 
ing of  past  times,  and  then  said,  "  God  grant  that 
George  may  succeed  in  disposing  of  his  work." 

The  door  opened  softly,  and  a  voice  said,  "  May  I 
come  in,  dear  father?" 

"My  child,  my  good  child!"  exclaimed  tlie  artisan, 
and  Elizabeth  rested  upon  the  breast  of  her  father,  and 
wept  aloud  for  joy.  "  How  dare  you  venture,"  he 
added,  gently  reproaching  her,  "  to  leave  your  chamber 
so  soon  ?  Have  you  forgotten,  that  you  must  still  be 
very  careful  ?" 

*'0h,"  she  replied,  "I  could  hardly  wait  to  bid  you 


24.6  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

a  good-morning  !  Oh,  my  good,  dear  father,  my  heart 
is  almost  bursting  with  joy,  so  happy  do  I  feel  to-day! 
Every  trace  of  pain  has  entirely  disappeared  !  And  do 
you  not  remember  my  becoming  nineteen  years  of 
age  to-day  ?  Where  else,  then,  could  I  first  of  all  go 
but  to  you,  to  whom  under  God,  I  owe  my  life?" 

"  Dear,  good  child !"  said  the  father,  kissing  her, 
"  blessed  be  your  out-goings  and  in-comings.  Praised 
be  the  God  of  grace  and  mercy,  that  He  has  preserved 
you,  and,  in  so  doing,  has  removed  the  dreadful  con- 
sequences of  my  heaviest  guilt  from  my  heart." 

"  So,    then,    you    are    no    longer   angry  with   me  ?" 

"I  angry  with  you,  my  child!"  repeated  the  artisan. 
"Alas !  alas !  it  is  myself  who  must  ask  you,  whether 
you  have  pardoned  me  the  wrong  I  have  done  you,  in 
my  unhappy  blindness  and  wicked  anger !  Nothing — 
neither  prayer,  nor  work,  nor  joy,  can  ever  efface  that 
horrible  memory'  from  my  mind.  As  often  as  I  see 
you,  that  deed  passes  before  me." 

"Do  not  torment  yourself  unnecessarily,  dear  father," 
importuned  the  maiden.  "  Know  you  not  what  Joseph, 
at  one  time,  said  to  his  brethren  :  '  But  as  for  you,  ye 
thought  evil  against  me ;  but  God  meant  it  for  good.' 
Yes,  the  Lord  has  done  all  things  well.  The  short 
pain  I  endured,  has  become  to  me  the  source  of  the 
most  blessed  joy !  Who  knows,  dear  father,  if  that 
dark  day  had  not  dawned  upon  us,  whether  I  could 
rest  as  blissful  on  your  breast  as  I  now  do,  or  enjoy 
the  happiness  of  seeing  you  reconciled  to  me  ?" 

"  You  say  this  with  a  kind  intention,"  interposed  the 
artisan,  "because  you  would  soften  the  just  reproaches 
of  my  conscience." 


THE   IMPOVERISHED   FAMILY. 


247 


"  If  you  mean  by  this,  that  I  dearly  love  you," 
replied  Elizabeth,  "  then  you  are  right.  But  you 
should  also  remember,  that  beautiful  assurance,  that 
all  things  work  together  for  good  to  them  that  love 
the  Lord  ;  which  means,  as  my  dear  Doctor  Spener 
once  explained  it :  That  he,  who  is  truly  godly,  knows 
always  how  to  overcome  the  evil  with  the  good,  and 
finds  every  misfortune  fruitful  unto  righteousness." 

Guldenmeyer  shook  his  head  doubtfully,  and  said, 
"  In  every  misfortune  ?  Elizabeth,  look  around  you. 
What  a  sad  difference  there  is  between  the  last  and 
present  anniversary  of  your  birth-day !  You  are  no 
longer  in  the  house  of  your  birth,  no  longer  in  the 
house  of  my  fathers.  Wherever  you  look,  poverty, 
want,  and  misery  stare  you  in  the  face,  and  God  only 
knows  how  far  we  may  still  have  to  come  down.  May 
He  forgive  me  the  guilt  I  have  incurred  in  the  bring- 
ing of  this  about,  and  also  may  He  pardon  those  who 
were  heartless  enough  to  drive  us  forth,  in  the  cold  of 
winter,  from  house  and  home  and  estate.  I  shall  never 
forget  what  my  soul  suffered  when  we  were  obliged  to 
carry  you  hither,  weak  and  sick !  You  think,  that 
misfortune  would  be  fruitful  unto  righteousness.  This 
may  be  a  great  consolation  to  one  suffering  innocently; 
but  with  what  shall  he  console  himself,  who  has  caused 
his  own  sorrow?" 

"  In  that  case,"  replied  the  maiden,  "  the  fruit  of 
righteousness  will  be  the  more  perfect,  so  soon  as  we 
are  not  ashamed  to  confess  that  we  have  done  evil, 
and  strive,  by  faith,  to  engage  in  better  works  of  love. 
You  must  know,  dear  father,"  she  quickly  added,  as  if 
she  felt  that  she  had  wounded  his  feelinsfs  and  violated 


2^8  PHILIP P  JACOB   SPENER. 

filial  love,  "  you  must  know,  that  the  human  heart  is 
like  a  field ;  both  are  to  bring  forth  good  fi-uit.  But, 
if  the  field  does  not  do  it,  it  is  to  be  attributed  to  all 
manner  of  unfavorable  weather ;  but  that,  which  may- 
serve  as  an  excuse  for  the  non-productiveness  of  the 
field,  will  only  tend  to  heap  reproach  upon  the  human 
heart,  because  the  time  of  misfortune  is  its  most  favor- 
able season  for  bearing  the  fruits  of  righteousness." 

"Where  have  you  learned  all  this,  my  child?"  asked 
the  father,  pressing  her  again  to  his  heart.  "  Such 
words  enter  one's  very  soul,  when,  in  times  of  distress, 
we  stand  in  need  of  consolation." 

"  Where  have  I  learned  this  ?"  asked  Elizabeth, 
with  a  pleasant  smile.  "  Surely,  I  would  be  but  a  poor 
pupil  of  my  dear  teacher,  Doctor  Spener,  if,  after  so 
much  instruction,  I  had  failed  to  understand  the 
Christian's  hope,  and  also  to  explain  it  to  such  an 
indulgent  listener,  my  good  father,  as  you  are." 

As  she  here  ceased,  the  door  opened,  and  George 
entered,  holding  under  his  arm  a  painting  on  canvas. 
"  You  come  back  without  having  accomplished  your 
object,"  the  father  quickly  called  out  to  him. 

"Unfortunately,"  replied  George,  leaning  the  paint- 
ing against  the  wall,  "my  walk  was  fruitless.  The 
Privy  Counselor  said,  if  a  pictistical  subject  had  not 
formed  the  basis  of  it,  he  would  have  bought  it ;  that, 
in  these  times,  one  could  not  be  careful  enough,  so  as 
not  to  be  classed  among  the  sectarians  and  Spenerites, 
and  he  had  good  reasons  of  his  own  to  avoid  even  the 
appearance." 

"  Is  it  possible  ?"  exclaimed  the  artisan.  "  Has  it, 
then,  already  come  to  this?  Father,  forgive  them; 
for  they  know  not  what  they  do !" 


THE   IMPOVERISHED   FAMILY. 


249 


And  what  was  the  subject  of  the  painting?  A  small 
chamber,  supplied  with  only  the  most  indispensable 
articles  of  furniture,  the  window  curtained,  the  door 
secured  by  a  heavy  bolt.  Before  the  window  knelt  a 
youthful  maiden,  with  her  hands  folded,  and  bending 
her  eyes  meekly  to  the  floor.  The  whole  expression 
of  her  pale  but  noble  countenance,  was  that  of  one 
engaged  in  believing  and  trustful  prayer.  Beside  her, 
upon  the  table,  lay  an  open  Bible,  and  underneath,  the 
reference,  Matthew  vi.  6. 

While  the  goldsmith  was  regarding  the  painting 
with  a  melancholy  look,  his  eyes  became  suddenly 
dilated,  and  he  exclaimed,  "  What  have  you  painted 
here,  my  son?  What  a  resemblance  does  this  maiden 
bear  to  our  Elizabeth !  See  for  yourself,  my  dear 
child,  whether  I  am  not  correct." 

Elizabeth  had  probably  noticed  the  same  thing ;  for, 
without  heeding  her  father's  request,  she  blushed 
again  and  again,  and  remained  silent, 

"  Why  should  I  deny  it  ?"  said  George.  "  If  you 
do  really  see  a  resemblance  to  Elizabeth,  you  reward 
me  far  more  richly  than  the  Privy  Counsellor  could 
have  done.  I  acknowledge  that  Elizabeth,  though 
unconsciously,  served  me  as  a  model  for  this  maiden, 
I  have,  during  the  days  of  your  sickness,"  he  con- 
tinued, turning  to  Elizabeth,  "  when  I  approached  your 
bed-side,  so  frequently  observed  you  in  the  attitude  of 
prayer,  that  it  would  be  a  severe  reproach  to  me  if  I 
had  not  retained  you,  my  dear  sister,  in  my  heart,  as 
an  object  of  constant  mental  contemplation." 

Elizabeth  trembled  with  confusion.  It  was  the  first 
time  that   George  had  presumed,  in  the  presence  of 


250  PHIL  IP P  JACOB   SPENER. 

her  father,  to  use  expressions  at  which  she,  in  her 
maidenly  purity  of  soul,  might  almost  have  had  cause 
to  feel  abashed.  But  she  quickly  relieved  herself  from 
her  embarrassment  by  a  pleasant  sally.  "  Well,  now," 
she  said  to  George,  "is  that  what  you  call  brotherly 
love — first  secretly  to  steal  me,  and  then  as  secretly  to 
attempt  to  sell  me?" 

"  Happy  child,"  interrupted  the  father,  in  a  melan- 
choly tone,  thus  saving  the  pilfering  painter  an  embar- 
rassing answer.  "  You  can  still  be  cheerful,  while  I  am 
oppressed  by  care.  How  will  it  be  if  George  does  not 
find  purchasers  for  his  labors  ?  The  landlord  presses 
me  for  the  rent,  our  provisions  have  given  out,  and 
what  I  earn  will  hardly  pay  for  the  oil  I  use  in  my 
lamp.  Petermann,  Petermann,"  he  added,  "  may  God 
forgive  you  your  hard- heartedness  !" 

"I  still  believe  that  you  wrong  my  uncle,"  said 
George.  "  If  it  had  really  been  in  his  power  to  aid 
us,  he  would  not  have  permitted  matters  to  have  gone 
thus  far ;  for  he  is  very  philanthropic  and  liberal.  Be- 
sides, where  is  a  poor  schoolmaster  like  him  to  get  the 
means?" 

"  So  much  the  worse,"  hastily  rejoined  the  gold- 
smith. "  If  Petermann  has  really  not  the  means  to  aid 
us,  then  he  is  a  liar  and  a  hypocrite,  and  has  attempted 
to  deceive  me." 

"Surely,  he  is  none  of  these,"  Elizabeth  maintained. 
"  Mr.  Petermann  thought,  perhaps,  of  aiding  you 
through  others,  but  did  not  find  it  possible  to  do  so. 
He  must  be  a  good,  honest  man,  because  our  Reverend 
Doctor  Spener  esteems  him  very  highly,  and  holds 
frequent  intercourse  with  him." 


THE   IMPOVERISHED   FAMILY.  25  I 

"I  agree  with  Elizabeth,  dear  father,"  said  George. 
"  It  is  now  about  a  week  ago,  that  he  came  to  my 
room,  just  as  you  had  gone  out,  and  examined  my 
work  with  great  care  and  inteUigence.  In  doing  so, 
he  also  found  the  small  painting,  or  rather  hasty 
sketch,  intended  to  represent  Dr.  Spener.  You  know 
I  had  drawn  it  from  memory,  and  considered  it  some- 
what of  a  failure.  But  Petermann  praised  it  beyond 
measure,  and  called  it  an  excellent  likeness  of  the 
court-chaplain.  Now,  since  tlie  good  Doctor,  in  his 
extreme  modesty,  cannot  be  prevailed  upon  to  sit  for 
his  likeness,  Petermann  thought  that  I  might  dispose 
of  my  painting  at  a  great  pecuniary  advantage,  for,  he 
said,  he  knew  many  among  the  rich  and  noble  who 
would  be  willing  to  purchase  Dr.  Spener's  likeness  at 
almost  any  price.  And,  though  much  as  I  was  con- 
vinced of  the  imperfections  of  my  work,  my  dear  uncle 
at  length,  nevertheless,  persuaded  me  to  leave  the  pic- 
ture at  his  disposal,  promising,  at  the  same  time,  to  sell 
it  at  the  highest  possible  price.  Since  then,  I  have  not 
seen  him.  He  certainly  cannot  yet  have  sold  it,  and, 
what  is  more,  I  wish  he  may  not  sell  it  at  all,  for  I 
am  really  ashamed  of  it." 

George  had  scarcely  ceased  speaking,  when  there 
was  a  knock  at  the  door.  "That  is  he!"  simultan- 
eously exclaimed  George  and  Elizabeth.  And  it  was 
the  old  schoolmaster.  Petermann  entered,  saluted 
them  kindly,  and  said :  "  I  am  glad  that  you  have  a 
warm  room,  for  I  feel  somewhat  cold.  I  have  just 
come  from  the  church  of  St.  Sophia ;"  and,  with  this, 
he  took  a  chair  near  the  stove. 

The  arrival  of  the  schoolmaster    made,  upon  those 


252  PHI  LIP P  JACOB  SPENER. 

present,  different  impressions.  Petermann  himself 
moved  about  with  all  ease,  and  acted  as  if  he  had  a 
perfect  right  to  do  so — was  otherwise  affable  and  inof- 
fensive, and  conducted  himself  as  if  nothing  of  an  un- 
pleasant nature  had  ever  passed  between  him  and  the 
goldsmith. 

George,  as  soon  as  he  had  welcomed  his  uncle  by  a 
hearty  pressure  of  the  hand,  returned  to  his  painting  at 
the  wall,  and  turned  it  round  as  though  without  de- 
sign, so  as  to  withdraw  it  from  Petermann's  sight,  in 
which  he  was,  however,  but  illy  successful.  The  gold- 
smith presented  a  picture  of  the  most  oppressive  em- 
barassment.  He,  in  spite  of  all  his  children  had  said 
in  defence  of  the  old  man,  still  secretly  hated  the 
schoolmaster,  to  which  was  added  that  dread,  inspired 
by  superiority,  which  he  invariably  experienced  in 
Petermann's  presence,  and  which  was  painful  to  him. 
And  yet,  he  also  felt  that  he  had  reason  to  deal  softly 
v/ith  this  singular  schoolmaster,  a  feeling  which  his 
burdened  conscience  was  greatly  instrumental  in  pro- 
ducing. He  crossed  his  hands  upon  his  back,  and 
looked  through  the  window  at  the  sky  above,  as  if 
examining  the  state  of  the  weather.  Elizabeth  alone 
was  all  cheerfulness;  she  hastened  toward  the  school- 
master, and  said:  "Mr.  Petermann,  I  know  why  you 
come  to  see  us  to-day.  You  know  that  I  celebrate  my 
nineteenth  birthday,  and  you  have  come  to  congratu- 
late me." 

"Assuredly,"  replied  Petermann.  "This,  too,  is  one 
of  the  days,  my  daughter,  which  God  has  written  in 
your  book,  which,  in  continuance,  were  fashioned, 
when,  as  yet,  there  was  none  of  them.     A  difference 


THE   IMPOVERISHED   FAMILY. 


253 


there  undoubtedly  is  between  this  day  and  the  day  of 
your  birth.     What  say  you  to  it,  brother  Sigismund?" 

The  goldsmith  started;  then  cast  down  his  eyes,  and 
said,  as  mildly  as  possible:  "It  is  not  Christian-like  to 
mock  those  who  are  in  misery." 

"You  are  right,  Sigismund!"  replied  Petermann, 
very  composedly.  "  He  who  can  mock  those  who  are 
miserable,  has  never  yet  been  miserable  himself.  Do 
you  believe,  Sigismund,  that  you  are  in  misery  ?" 

"  Uncle,"  interposed  George,  beseechingly,  when  he 
saw  how  deeply  the  schoolmaster's  question  pained  his 
father,  "  you  surely  do  not  expect  to  find  among  us, 
prosperity,  pomp  and  affluence,  however  different  I 
know  your  views  to  be  from  those  usually  entertained 
by  other  men  in  regard  to  what  constitutes  prosperity 
or  misfortune.  Yet,  by  whatever  name  you  may 
designate  what  you  find  in  our  house,  we  have  thus 
far,  thanks  be  to  God,  not  been  discouraged,  and  bear 
our  cross  quietly  and  in  hope,  as  is  meet  that  the 
Christian  should,  though  it,  at  times,  seems  somewhat 
heavy." 

'^This  is  because  you  are  not  yet  accustomed  to  it," 
added  the  schoolmaster,  "and  impatience  performs  its 
part  too.  However,  Paul  says,  'tribulation  worketh 
patience  and  experience.'  " 

"And  hope,  dear  Mr.  Petermann,"  quickly  and  good- 
humoredly,  added  Elizabeth.  "And  hope  maketh  not 
ashamed,  especially  the  hope  of  the  Christian." 

The  schoolmaster  cast  a  look  of  the  highest  satis- 
faction upon  the  pious  maiden,  and  said  :  "  Right,  my 
child.  I  would  not  like  to  live  here,  if  I  had  no  hope 
in  regard  to  yonder.     But,  dear  Sigismund,"  he  sud- 


254  PHILIPP   JACOB   SPENER. 

denly  broke  off,  and  turning  to  the  artisan,  "  have  you 
obHged  me  by  mending  the  chain  which  I  sent  you  by 
George  ?" 

"Here  it  is,"  rephed  Guldenmeyer,  handing  a  plain 
gold  chain  to  the  schoolmaster. 

Petermann  arose  and  took  it  from  the  artisan's  hand. 
"Sigismund,"  he  said,  "this  chain,  almost  my  mother's 
only  heirloom,  and  saved  with  much  difficulty,  I  fast- 
ened round  the  neck  of  my  sister,  on  the  day  of  her 
betrothal.  Wear  you  it,  Elizabeth.  May  you,  here,  be 
happier  than  she  was.  There  you  will  doubtless  share 
in  one  and  the  same  happiness,  if  God  does  not  with- 
hold His  grace."  And,  with  this,  he  placed  the  chain 
round  Elizabeth's  neck. 

Elizabeth,  to  whom  the  more  immediate  allusions  of 
these  expressions  and  wishes  were  as  strange  as  they 
were  to  George,  blushed  deeply,  being  unable  to  utter 
a  word  either  of  joy  or  gratitude.  George,  too,  cast 
down  his  eyes  before  that  singular  man,  who  appeared 
to  take  special  delight  in  throwing  people  into  a  state 
of  embarrassment.  The  goldsmith,  tormented  by  the 
most  poignant  grief,  stood  at  a  distance,  and  cast  a 
mournful  look  upon  Petermann.  When  the  school- 
master saw  it,  he  went  up  to  him,  gave  him  his  hand, 
and  said :  "  Sigismund,  I  intended  no  harm !  God 
bless  our  children!" 

"  God  bless  them !"  repeated  the  artisan ;  and  these 
two  men,  after  many,  many  years,  pressed  again  each 
other's  hand. 

When  Petermann  again  resumed  his  chair,  a  painful 
silence  ensued,  which  no  one  seemed  willing  to  break. 
At  length,  Elizabeth  said :  "  You  were  in  St.  Sophia's 
Church,  Mr.  Petermann;  did  you  hear  a  sermon?" 


THE   IMPOVERISHED   FAMILY.  2^5 

"  Certainly,"  replied  he,  "  and  I  wish  you  had  all 
heard  it." 

"Who  was  the  preacher?"  asked  George. 

"  He  was  a  stranger  from  Liibeck,"  replied  the 
schoolmaster ;  "  by  name,  August  Hermann  Franke. 
His  name  has  already  an  agreeable  savor  in  the  church, 
although  he  is  hardly  over  twenty-five  years  of  age." 

"  Franke  ?"  asked  Elizabeth,  "  it  seems  to  me  as  if  I 
have  heard  our  dear  Doctor  Spener  mention  that 
name." 

"  Very  likely,"  suggested  Petermann,  "  for  the  court- 
chaplain  is  his  true,  paternal  friend,  protector  and 
patron.  Both  are  engaged  in  the  same  service,  as 
servants  of  the  same  Master,  having  one  faith,  and  one 
love  to  mankind.  He  is  the  same  Franke,  who,  nearly 
three  years  ago,  together  with  two  other  Christian 
men,  Anton  and  Schade,  of  Leipzig,  established,  with 
the  advice  and  consent  of  Spener,  the  Bible  Society, 
in  which  most  of  the  students  took  part." 

"  Will  this  Mr.  Franke  be  stationed  in  our  city  as 
minister?"  asked  Elizabeth. 

"  It  appears  not,"  was  Petermann's  answer.  "  On 
the  contrary,  it  is  said  that  he  is  Professor  at  the  Uni- 
versity at  Leipzig,  and  is  only  here  for  a  short  time,  in 
order  to  obtain  advice,  comfort  and  encouragement 
from  the  court-chaplain.  I  wish  you  had  heard  his 
sermon." 

"Will  you  not  repeat  some  of  it  to  us  ?"  begged 
George. 

"Ah !  if  I  could  only  do  that !"  said  the  school- 
master. "  However,  I  will  repeat  to  you  what  I  am 
able.     The  dear,  good   man  spoke  on  genuine  joy  of 


256  PHILIPP  JACOB   SPENER. 

faith,  which  he  said,  in  general,  consisted  in  this — 
namely,  that  faith  was  not  dead  and  slothful,  but 
showed  itself  active  and  busy  in  love.  By  faith,  he 
said,  man  becomes  lord  of  all  things ;  yet,  as  the  power 
easily  tends  to  evil,  love  must  be  added,  by  which 
means  man  becomes  again  the  servant  of  all ;  that  is  to 
say,  by  faith  he  becomes  a  king,  and  through  love  a 
spiritual  priest,  who  does  not  lord  it  over,  but  serves 
in,  God's  heritage." 

"  How  impressive  is  this  truth !"  said  Elizabeth, 
"  How  sacred  the  Christian's  duty  to  continue  in  love, 
so  that  he  may  also  continue  in  faith!" 

"Nearly  the  same,"  Petermann  exultingly  exclaimed, 
"  that  the  dear  man  explained  at  length.  He  said,  if 
man  did  not  continue  in  this  love,  but  permitted  him- 
self to  be  excited  to  sinful  passions,  such  as  wrath, 
hatred,  abuse  and  revilings,  he  could  not  possess  true 
joy  or  faith ;  and  even  when  such  joy  had  previously 
been  experienced,  it  would  be  marred  by  such  ungod- 
liness. In  such  cases  man  must  humble  himself  before 
God,  and  enter  again  through  the  renewal  of  his  mind 
in  the  spirit  of  love  and  divine  peace,  into  this  true 
joy.  Worldly  temptations  of  every  kind  would  arise 
to  discourage  him  in  the  attempt ;  but  then  he  must 
overcome  them  by  a  steadfast  faith,  humble  himself 
still  more  before  God,  acknowledge  himself  guilty  in 
His  sight,  and  then  continue  confidently  in  the  work 
of  faith,  the  exercise  of  love,  and  the  patience  of  hope." 

"  Go  on,  dear  Andrew !"  begged  the  goldsmith. 
"  Oh,  how  grateful  are  these  words  !  And  why  has  no 
one  heretofore  spoken  these  to  my  heart  ?  How  much 
better  it  might  be  with  me  to-day !" 


THE   IMPOVERISHED   FAMIIY. 


257 


"  Mr.  Franke,"  continued  Petermann,  looking  stead- 
ily at  the  goldsmith,  "  also  said  that  '  that  could  not  be 
true  faith  which  is  not  based  upon  sincere  repentance ; 
neither  could  there  be  a  true  joy  of  faith,  as  long  as  a 
man  had  not  experienced  true  repentance  and  exer- 
cised himself  in  it  daily,  till  the  spirit  of  man  humbles 
itself  under  the  mighty  hand  of  God  and  becomes 
broken  and  contrite ;  there  alone  dwelt  the  power  of 
Christ  and  manifested  itself  most  gloriously,  so  that  no 
flesh  might  glory.  Therefore,'  he  concluded,  '  let  no 
man  deceive  himself  Repentance  cannot  be  avoided, 
and  it  is  therefore  not  worth  our  while  to  attempt  to 
avoid  it.  Whatever  does  not  rest  on  a  true,  divine 
foundation,  cannot  eventually  endure,  though  ever  so 
attractive  in  appearance.' " 

It  was  not  to  be  mistaken,  if  one  might  judge  from 
the  emphasis  with  which  he  pronounced  particular 
words,  and  from  the  significant  glances  of  his  lively 
eyes,  that  Petermann,  though  using  Franke's  words, 
nevertheless  did  so  with  special  reference  to  the  gold- 
smith. For  it  seemed  as  if  he  had  come  with  the  inten- 
tion to  stir  up  the  conscience  of  this  poor  man,  already 
so  grievously  tormented,  to  its  very  centre.  As  Guld- 
enmeyer  continued  silently  to  gaze  into  vacancy,  Peter- 
mann resumed:  "In  conclusion,  Franke  said,  'We 
have  all  a  day  of  reckoning  before  us,  on  which  every 
one  must  give  an  account  to  the  Chief-Bishop  of  his 
stewardship.  Now,  methinks,  he  will  justly  require  of 
us  to  have  sought  nothing  in  this  world  but  the  salva- 
tion and  good  of  mankind,  just  as  He  sought  nothing 
else.  But  will  we  be  able  to  appear  in  His  presence 
with  joy,  if  we  have  in  this  world  paid  more  attention 


258  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

to  our  fields  than  to  the  souls  of  men,  or  been  more 
anxious  in  amassing  money  and  putting  it  out  at  inter- 
est than  in  laying  a  good  foundation  for  the  future? 
We  see  it  everywhere  that  men  have  departed  from  the 
gospel,  and  that  in  all  places  there  exists  that  condi- 
tion of  things  described  in  one  of  our  church-hymns, 
where  it  is  said: 

"  To  make  men  holy,  God  hath  given 
His  precious  gospel  from  high  heaven. 
On  earth  this  treasure  is  not  prized; 
By  most  it  is  outright  despised." 

A  sign  that  the  judgment  is  coming." 

"You  may  be  right,  Andrew,"  said  the  goldsmith. 
"  The  world  has  departed  from  the  gospel,  and  the 
smallest  number  know  what  joy  of  faith  is,  such  as 
has  only  to-day  been  made  clear  to  me.  But,  as  little 
as  I  will  excuse  the  world,  (for  I  am  not  able  even  to 
excuse  myself,)  I  say  still  it  has  departed  from  the 
gospel,  because  it  lacked  the  right  kind  of  Evangelists 
— and  it  cannot  have  any  joy  of  faith,  because  it  does 
not  learn  to  know  the  true  and  living  faith." 

"Well,  Sigismund,"  said  the  schoolmaster,  cheer- 
fully, "this  is  a  word  in  the  right  place,  and,  I  think, 
one  which  proceeds  out  of  a  right  mind  and  under- 
standing. If  there  had  been  at  all  times  such  Evan- 
gelists as  our  Spener  is,  and  as  his  pupil  Franke 
undoubtedly  will  be,  the  spiritual  condition  of  man- 
kind would  be  in  a  better  state.  More  than  three 
hundred  years  ago,  similar  complaints  were  raised  in 
Germany.  I  have  an  old  book  of  sermons,  by  a 
Dominican  monk  of  the  name  of  Johannes  Taulerus, 
who  died  at  Strasburg.     In  it  are  found  these  words, 


THE   IMPOVERISHED   FAMILY. 


259 


which  I  have  read  at  least  ten  times :  '  It  would  indeed 
be  proper  that  a  minister  should  glow  with  the  fire  of 
divine  love  to  such  a  degree,  and  also  be  inwardly  and 
outwardly  so  much  like  unto  God,  that  on  any  one 
coming  to  him,  they  would  hear  of  nothing  but  God ; 
or  .that  his  heart  and  mind,  out  of  ardent  love,  were 
only  directed  to  God,  and  prepared  to  do  nothing  but 
the  will  of  God  faithfully  and  in  all  things,  so  that  any 
other  one  having  a  cold  or  luke-warm  heart  would, 
through  him,  be  warmed  and  kindled  like  the  cold 
dead  coals,  from  which  they  soon  receive  light  and 
heat,  as  we  all  know.'  Is  not  this  out  and  out  the 
language  of  our  godly  Spener?  And  is  not  Spener 
just  such  a  man  as,  with  his  fire  of  divine  love,  ignites 
cold  and  half-warm  hearts,  as  a  certain  Andrew  Peter- 
mann,  and  latterly,  also,  a  certain  Sigismund  Gulden- 
meyer,  can  amply  testify?" 

"And  why  do  you  not  also  include  me  and  my 
brother  George  ?"  asked  Elizabeth,  "  and  hundreds, 
yea,  thousands,  of  others,  in  our  city?" 

"Well,"  replied  Petermann,  "most  of  all,  I  should  be 
pleased  also  to  include  a  certain  Nullenbrecher,  if — " 

"  Do  not  mention  that  name,"  quickly  interrupted 
the  goldsmith,  "  His  name  alone  can  mar  my  joy. 
That  ungrateful,  proud  Master  has  not  even  once 
inquired  after  us  since  that  unhappy  day." 

"  Nor  is  it  necessary  that  he  should,"  remarked 
Petermann.  .  "  He  is  what  Taulerus  calls  a  cold  and 
dead  coal,  and  will  continue  one,  if  God  does  not 
Himself  put  him  among  live  ones.  However,  I  see  my 
time  is  up.     On  the  day  of  fasting  and  prayer,  which 


26o  PHIL  IP  P  JACOB   SPENER. 

occurs  on  the  twenty-second  of  this  month,  we  will 
meet  again.     God  be  with  you." 

And  with  this  he  hastily  arose,  shook  each  one  by 
the  hand,  and  hastened  toward  the  door.  But  just  as 
he  was  on  the  point  of  stepping  out,  he  turned  back, 
drew  a  purse  from  his  pocket,  and  handed  it  to  George, 
saying,  "  I  had  nearly  forgotten  it :  my  son,  I  have 
fortunately  disposed  of  your  painting,  and  received  for 
it  the  sum  of  fifty  guilders.     Here  it  is." 

And  without  waiting  for  a  word  of  thanks,  he  hast- 
ened quickly  away. 


CHAPTER     XIV. 


THE  DIFFICULT   OFFICE. 


"Wherefore  comfort  yourselves  together,  and  edify  one  another, 
even  as  also  ye  do.  And  we  beseech  you,  brethren,  to  know  them 
which  labor  among  you,  and  are  over  you  in  the  Lord,  and  admonish 
you." — I  Thes.  v.  11-12. 

IT  was  Thursday,  the  21st  of  Februar)^,  in  the  afore- 
said year,  1689,  during  the  forenoon,  that  Rothner, 
the  famulus  of  the  court-chaplain,  was  summoned  to 
the  latter's  study.  When  he  had  entered,  Spener 
handed  him  a  few  sheets  of  paper,  with  the  remark, 
"Dear  Rothner,  I  beg  that  you  will  copy  these  docu- 
ments immediately.  I  know  your  character  for  secrecy 
and  honesty;  yet  I  pray  you  this  time,  particularly,  to 
lock  securely  and  deeply  into  your  heart  every  word 
you  may  find  herein  contained.  Endeavor  to  have  it  fin- 
ished by  this  evening  so  that  you  may  dispatch  this  let- 
ter to-morrow  morning,  by  the  courier  to  Moritzburg." 

Rothner  promised  to  be,  as  ever,  faithful  and  punc- 
tual, and  took  his  leave. 

"God  prosper  my  work!"  exclaimed  Spener ;  "for 
it  is  not  my  honor  I  seek,  but  Thine,  my  God  and 
Lord.  Moreover,  thou  hast  comforted  and  encouraged 
me  by  Thy  word :  '  Fear  not  them  that  kill  the  body, 
but  are  not  able  to  kill  the  soul.'  Though  my  soul  is 
agitated,  it  is  not  because  of  the  fear  of  man,  but  from 
holy  zeal  for  Thy  word,  and  the  anxious  longing  for 
the  righteous  fruits  of  my  work." 

f26l  ) 


262  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

Spener  folded  his  hands,  and  continued  in  silent 
prayer  to  that  God  who  was  his  only  friend,  amid  all 
his  distresses  and  temptations.  Soon  after,  he  was 
aroused  from  his  silent  devotion  by  a  faint  knock  at 
the  door.  A  young  man,  arrayed  in  traveling  apparel, 
entered. 

"My  dear  Franke!"  exclaimed  Spener,  "do  you, 
then,  really  intend  to  leave  us  ?" 

"  I  must,  my  dearest  Doctor,"  replied  the  new- 
comer. "  I  abuse  your  kindness  and  hospitality  be- 
yond measure.  In  a  few  hours  a  conveyance  will  be 
leaving,  which  will,  if  it  so  please  God,  take  me  back 
to  Leipzig.  Ah,  my  beloved,  my  paternal  friend  and 
instructor,  with  what  a  heavy  heart  do  I  separate  my- 
self from  you !  How  can  I  ever  again  repay  you  and 
your  family  the  good  you  have  done  me,  both  in  body 
and  spirit?" 

"  Do  not  speak  of  it,  my  good  friend,"  replied 
Spener.  "  The  two  moons  you  have  spent  in  my 
house  will  be  to  me  more  than  two  years  of  pleasure 
and  bliss.     With  what  hopes  do  you  go  to  Leipzig  ?" 

"  With  the  best,"  rejoined  Franke.  "  For  I  go  with 
God;  and  His  wonderful  guidance  is  so  apparent  in  all 
things,  that  I  can  no  longer  delay.  But,  if  the  Lord 
should  vouchsafe  to  me  to  labor  successfully  in  His 
vineyard,  I  can  only  bless  you,  my  dearest  friend,  and 
my  beloved  Uncle  Gloxin,  as  having  been  the  instru- 
ments in  God's  hand.  Without  my  uncle's  undeserved 
generosity  I  should  want  the  pecuniary  means  to  enter 
the  University  once  more ;  and  without  your  consola- 
tion and  instruction,  my  inner  man  would  have  re- 
mained timorous,  discouraged  and  unenlightened." 


THE    DIFFICULT  OFFICE.  263 

"  I  am  glad,"  said  Spener,  who  seemed  not  to  have 
heard  the  last  sentence,  "  I  am  glad  that  your  choice 
has  again  fallen  on  Leipzig;  for  it  is  just  there  a  man 
like  yourself  is  greatly  needed." 

"  The  Lord  himself  calls  me  there,"  said  the  other. 
"  You  know,  dearest  Doctor,  that,  although  I  was  born 
and  raised  in  Lubeck,  I  must,  nevertheless,  call  Lune- 
burg  my  actual  spiritual  place  of  nativity ;  for  it  was 
only  under  the  guidance  of  the  beloved  Sandhagen,  to 
whom  my  uncle  sent  me,  that  the  right  understanding 
of  the  Holy  Scriptures  was  vouchsafed  to  me.  And 
when  my  good  uncle,  in  conferring  upon  me  the  sti- 
pend, also  gave  me  the  choice  to  go  with  it  whither  I 
listed,  my  heart  immediately  turned  toward  Leipzig, 
and  I  thought  of  the  words  which  the  Lord,  on  a  cer- 
tain occasion,  addressed  to  Peter  :  '  And  when  thou  art 
converted,  strengthen  thy  brethren.'  " 

"  You  can  certainly,  in  this,  no  longer  hesitate  in 
your  choice,"  said  the  court-chaplain.  "  Go,  boldly 
and  confidently.  The  Lord  will  be  with  you.  Where 
Carpzov  keeps  watch  upon  Zion,  you  will  not  remain 
unmolested,  and,  like  myself,  find,  by  sad  experience, 
that  the  successful  labors  of  the  minister  of  the  gospel 
are  most  violently  and  bitterly  opposed  by  his  own 
brethren.  But  be  not  discouraged.  Seek  strength  by 
prayer,  and  the  power  of  God  shall  be  made  perfect  in 
your  weakness.  As  for  the  rest,  you  will  find  in  Leip- 
zig a  kind  and  Christian  people ;  for  I  shall  never  for- 
get the  pleasure  with  which  I  preached,  about  two 
years  ago,  on  Cantate  Sunday,  in  the  church  of  St. 
Nicolai,  to  an  unusually  large  congregation,  who  after- 
wards insisted  for  so  long  a  time,  that  I  finally  con- 


264  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

sented,  though  with  a  heavy  heart,  by  reason  of  my 
weakness,  to  give  them  my  sermon  for  pubhcation." 

"  I  heard  that  sermon  myself,"  added  Franke.  "  Not 
long  after  however,  I,  in  company  with  my  friend  An- 
ton, left  the  city.  You  said,  in  it,  that  we  ought,  at  all 
times,  to  look  out  rather  for  such  theologians  for 
preachers  and  pastors  as  have  become  truly  dead  to  the 
world,  their  own  honor,  interest  and  pleasure,  and  such 
as  do  not  merely  lead  a  moral  life,  but  a  life  according 
to  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus,  than  for  such  as  merely 
possess  great  learning,  which  is,  indeed,  a  precious  gift 
from  God,  but  which  can  only  answer  the  end  intended, 
if  sancLified  in  this  way.  It  was  just  this  passage  which 
had  such  a  wonderful  effect  upon  me,  that  I  hastened 
to  Luneburg  in  great  anxiety,  in  order  to  learn  from 
the  lips  of  my  dear  Sandhagen  what  it  is  to  live  ac- 
cording to  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus." 

"  Be  assured,  dear  Franke,"  continued  Spener,  "  the 
word  of  the  Lord  still  finds  acceptance  wherever  it  is 
preached  out  of  a  pure  heart  and  mind,  and  no  attempt 
is  made  to  proclaim  the  dry  wisdom  of  man  in  holy 
places.  But,  tell  me,  is  it  still  your  intention  to  deliver 
practical  lectures  on  the  Bible  ?" 

"With  the  help  of  God,  yes,"  replied  Franke.  "I 
am,  indeed,  apprehensive  that,  in  certain  quarters,  the 
truth  will  not  be  palatable,  nor  will  many  like  to  be 
told  that  those  who  devote  themselves  to  the  study 
of  theology,  must  have  experienced  a  true  change  of 
heart,  and  that  the  simple  fact  of  having  passed 
through  a  University  course  of  study,  is  not  sufficient 
to  constitute  a  man  a  useful  servant  of  God." 

"  Let  not  that  frighten  you,"  said  the  court-chaplain, 


THE    DIFFICULT  OFFICE. 


265 


encouragingly.  "Think  of  the  Apostles,  who,  though 
scourged  because  they  preached  the  gospel,  left  the 
presence  of  the  council,  rejoicing  that  they  were 
counted  worthy  to  suffer  shame  for  His  name.  If  the 
seed  is  to  grow,  then  it  needs,  in  addition  to  a  good 
soil,  also  rain  and  sunshine.  The  sunshine  is  the 
miraculous  power  of  the  word  of  God  itself,  which, 
like  warmth  and  heat,  makes  its  way  into  the  heart  of 
man;  and  ignominy  and  persecution  are  the  salutary, 
refreshing  and  invigorating  rain,  both  for  the  seed  and 
sower  of  the  word  of  God  on  earth.  And  if  you,  dear 
friend  and  co-laborer,  still  stand  in  need  of  human  aid, 
and  think  that  I  can  render  it,  I  will  most  cheerfully 
testify  publicly  that  I  perfectly  approve  of  your  labors." 

"  How  kind,  how  good  and  obliging  you  are,"  said 
Franke,  grasping  Spener's  hand,  and  pressing  it. 
"  May  God  bless  what  we  undertake  for  the  real  good 
of  mankind.  Let  the  beauty  of  the  Lord  be  upon  us. 
Establish  Thou  the  work  of  our  hands  upon  us :  Yea, 
the  work  of  our  hands,  establish  Thou  it !  " 

"  Oh,  how  sincerely  do  I  unite  with  you  in  this 
prayer  to  the  Lord !  Know,  my  friend,  I  have  a  cer- 
tain work  before  me,  to-day.  Yea,  Lord,  do  Thou 
bless  it,  the  work  of  my  hands,  my  heart,  my  faith, 
my  calling,  establish  Thou." 

"Of  what  do  you  speak,  dear  Doctor,  if  you  allow 
me  to  ask?" 

"  If  it  succeeds,  you  shall  know  it,"  replied  Spener, 
after  some  little  hesitation.  "  But  pray  to  the  Lord 
that  He  may  give  abundant  success  to  it.  And  now, 
since  you  are  determined  to  go,  may  the  blessing  of 
God  accompany  you." 


266  PHIL  IP P  JACOB  SPENER. 

Both  now  fraternally  embraced,  and  were  not  ashamed 
of  their  tears;  for  they  bore  witness  to  the  deep  sorrow 
they  felt  in  separating. 

But,  just  as  Franke  was  on  the  point  of  leaving  the 
room,  Spener,  who  had  gazed  after  him  with  a  mourn- 
ful look,  and,  as  it  seemed,  been  seized  by  a  suddei. 
feeling  of  alarm,  called  after  him,  with  unusual  haste 
"  One  more  word,  dear  friend.  Can  you  really  not 
postpone  your  journey  for  several  days?" 

Franke  regarded  him  with  surprise,  and  remained 
standing  at  the  door. 

"I  do  not  know,"  continued  Spener.  "The  thought 
has  suddenly  forced  itself  upon  me  that  I  may,  in  a 
few  days,  stand  in  need  of  your  advice  and  consolation. 
If  it  be  possible  remain  with  me  a  few  days  longer." 

"  It  is  possible,"  replied  Franke,  with  the  kindest 
sympathy.     "  What  do  you  wish,  dear  Doctor  ?" 

"  Be  seated,"  begged  Spener,  whilst  he  himself 
paced  rapidly  to  and  fro ;  the  working  of  his  features 
at  the  same  time  betraying  that  he  was  undergoing  a 
severe  conflict.  At  length  he  stopped  before  his  guest, 
and  said,  "  My  dear  friend,  I  will  not  be  committing  a 
sin  by  telling  you  what  so  exercises  me.  Besides,  it 
will  be  locked  up  in  a  faithful  and  silent  breast.  You 
know  that  the  day  appointed  for  national  fasting  and 
prayer  falls  on  to-morrow.  Read  the  text  appointed 
for  the  occasion,  Judith  v.  20,  21." 

Franke  opened  the  Bible,  which  Spener  had  handed 
him  and  read : 

"  Now,  therefore,  my  lord  and  governor,  if  there  be 
any  error  in  this  people,  and  they  sin  against  their  God, 
let  us  consider  that  this  shall  be  their  ruin,  and  let  us 


THE   DIFFICULT  OFFICE.  267 

go  up,  and  we  shall  overcome  them.  But,  if  there  be 
no  iniquity  in  their  nation,  let  my  Lord  now  pass  by, 
lest  their  Lord  defend  them,  and  their  God  be  for  them, 
and  we  become  a  reproach  before  all  the  world." 

"  What  do  you  regard  as  the  true  sense  of  these 
words?"  asked  Spener. 

Franke  replied  quickly,  "A  godly  nation,  in  the 
day  of  calamity,  finds  in  God  a  protector  and  helper; 
but  a  nation  that  forsakes  God,  hastens  to  its  own 
destruction." 

"  I  understand  them  in  the  same  way,"  contined  the 
court-chaplain.  "But  do  you  not  think,  that  these 
words  are,  just  now,  most  strikingly  applicable  to 
Saxony  ?  What  say  you  to  my  calling  the  attention 
of  His  Electoral  Highness  to  this  fact,  in  pointed  but 
respectful  language?" 

"You  mean  in  your  sermon  for  to-morrow,"  sug- 
gested Franke. 

"No,"  replied  Spener.  "The  Elector,  unfortunately, 
never  attends  divine  service  on  such  days — at  least  not 
since  I  have  officiated  here.  He  left,  yesterday,  for 
Moritzburg,  where  he  will  probably  remain  until  Sun- 
day. I  therefore  intend  to  do  it  in  an  especial  address, 
to  be  placed  in  his  hands  by  to-morrow  morning." 

Franke  regarded  Spener  not  without  some  surprise, 
and  asked,  "  Have  you  the  authority  to  do  this,  my 
dear  sir?" 

"  Methinks,"  replied  Spener,  "  His  Electoral  High- 
ness having  called  me  to  be  his  confessor,  I  shall  only 
be  doing  my  duty,  and  no  more  than  what  my  prede- 
cessors, and  among  these,  especially,  Dr.  Weller,  did 
before  me.     Only  call  to  mind  what  I  told  you  con- 


268  PHILIPP  JACOB- SPENER. 

cerning  the  interview  between  the  Elector  and  Dr. 
Weller,  as  related  to  me  by  Rev.  Mr.  Gerber,  and  cor- 
roborated by  Baron  von  Seckendorf.  And  whilst  I 
lack  the  courage  of  that  man  to  face  the  Elector  in 
person  with  language  so  bold,  though  enjoined  by  the 
Christian  religion,  I  do  not  lack,  thanks  be  to  God,  the 
Vi'xW.  to  use  the  license  of  my  office,  openly  and  hon- 
estly to  knock  at  the  heart  of  a  prince  with  the  word 
of  God.  And  though  this  official  privilege  is  not 
accorded  to  me  in  my  call  in  so  many  words,  as  it  was 
in  that  of  Dr.  Weller,  it  is  so,  nevertheless,  in  my  heart 
and  conscience.  I  am  therefore  in  good  hopes  and 
joyful  confidence  that  the  Lord  will  bless  my  work 
and  cause  it  to  meet  with  a  kind  reception." 

"  It  will  ever  continue  to  form  a  difficult  part  of  our 
official  duties,"  remarked  Franke,  "to  approach  the 
mighty  of  the  earth  with  the  words  of  John :  '  Repent 
ye,  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  near  at  hand!'  Never- 
theless, Christ  has  commanded  us  to  '  Fear  not  them 
which  kill  the  body,  but  are  not  able  to  kill  the  soul.'  " 

"  Oh,  no,  my  dear  Franke !  Much,  however,  as  a 
natural  weakness  takes  hold  of  me  in  all  my  under- 
takings, I  yet  cannot  admit  that  it  is  fear  of  man  which 
intimidates  me — but  due  want  of  confidence  in  my 
strength  and  wisdom  in  spiritual  things.  But  then,  if 
I  again  call  to  mind  the  consolations  and  promises  of 
my  Lord,  I  am  both  comforted  and  emboldened.  And 
the  fact,  dear  Franke,  that  you  repeat  the  same  divine 
call  to  me,  which  I  have  already  so  often  repeated  to 
myself,  affords  me  comfort,  inasmuch  as  it  shows  that 
I  have  properly  applied  to  myself  a  passage  of  Script- 
ure." 


THE   DIFFICULT  OFFICE. 


269 


"And  what  have  you  reason  to  expect  from  the 
Elector  ?"  asked  Franke. 

"Everything  that  is  good,"  repHed  the  court-chap- 
lain. "  Our  gracious  Elector  is  a  good  and  true  man, 
and  is  sincerely  devoted  to  the  word  of  God.  I  have 
a  number  of  evidences  that  my  affectionate  exhorta- 
tions have  deeply  moved  and  affected  him,  as  he  has 
frequently  mentioned  to  his  courtiers;  besides,  I  had, 
last  autumn,  a  very  encouraging  evidence  that  his  heart 
is  by  no  means  closed  to  the  admonitions  of  the  gospel. 
The  Electress,  especially,  is  a  truly  pious  and  God- 
fearing woman ;  and  the  princes,  particularly  the  crown- 
prince,  are  also  kindly  disposed  towards  me.  Methinks 
I  may  feel  assured  of  a  favorable  result." 

When  Spener  had  said  this,  he  relapsed  into  a  re- 
flective mood.  According  to  his  custom,  he  walked  to 
and  fro,  and  his  countenance  showed  signs  of  conflict- 
ing emotions.  Franke  did  not  venture  to  interrupt  this 
silent  conflict,  and  regarded  with  sympathy  and  rever- 
ence the  dear  man  for  whom  God  had  laid  up  some 
very  severe  trials  of  faith.  At  kngth  he  broke  the 
silence  himself,  and  said,  "And  yet,  dear  friend,  it 
seems  to  me  as  if  the  seed  which  I  am  about  to  sow  is 
to  bear  for  me  personally  most  bitter  fruit.  Perhaps  it 
would  be  wiser  and  better  if  I  could  address  the  Elec- 
tor orally.  But  how  can  I  venture  to  Moritzburg  ? 
And  if  I  would  defer  it  until  his  return,  I  would  lack 
the  opportunity.  Besides,  to  be  frank  with  you,  I  want 
the  necessary  courage  for  a  personal  interview  in  this 
matter ;  and  when  I  imagine  myself  presenting  person- 
ally to  the  powerful  prince  and  sovereign  what  I  think 
of  bringing  to  the  notice  of  his  Electoral  Highness  in 


2^0  PHILIP P  JACOB   SPENER. 

writing,  I  cannot  open  my  mouth.  For  this,  Dr. 
Weller  was  far  better  suited  than  I  am.  Therefore,  I 
have  written  what  my  conscience  dictated,  and  a  merci- 
ful God  will  overrule  all  for  good."  * 

"  Are  you  not,  perhaps,"  timidly  suggested  Franke, 
"  carrying  to  excess  your  want  of  confidence  in  your- 
self, and  in  the  power  of  your  word  which  God  has 
given  you  ?  Think  of  the  numerous  and  often  power- 
ful enemies  of  your  labors  :  how  they  have  hitherto 
been  much  more  of  a  benefit  than  an  injury  to  you. 
Think  of  the  Deacon  of  Nordhausen,  Mr.  Ditfeld,  who, 
in  consequence  of  your  reply  and  written  defence,  has 
lost  so  much  in  respect,  even  among  many  learned 
theologians,  that  he  can  bring  nothing  more  against 
you,  and  even  finds  no  longer  any  support  among 
his  learned  friends  and  such  Professors  as  have  clearly 
shown  themselves  your  enemies." 

"You  are  right,"  replied  Spener.  "I  am  also 
ashamed  of  this  timidity — this  natural  weakness, 
which  I  might  possibly  conquer   by  greater  earnest- 

*  This  vacillation — yea,  this  almost  unchristian  irresolution  of  a  man 
who,  by  the  power  of  his  prayers,  was  enabled  to  endure  the  severest 
sufferings,  would  be  inexplicable,  if  it  did  not  find  its  full  explanation 
in  his  bodily  and  mental  constitution.  Spener  has  himself,  in  many 
places,  bitterly  mourned  over  this.  For  example,  in  his  "  Theolog. 
Bedenken,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  358 — Vol.  III.,  p.  416,  and  in  his  last  "The- 
olog. Bedenken,"  Vol.  III.,  p.  765. 

This  fact  makes  appear  so  much  more  malignant  and  malicious  what 
the  court-chaplain,  Gleich,  says  in  his  Annal.  Eccles.  (in  the  life  of 
Spener)  on  this  natural  timidity — and  where  he  describes  it  as  so  un- 
becoming, that  he  thinks  Spener  should,  on  account  of  it,  not  have 
accepted  the  position  of  court-chaplain.  Besides,  Gleich's  entire  work 
shows  how  exceedingly  difficult  it  was  for  him  to  make  proper  mention 
of  Spener's  good  traits,  and  the  general  blessed  effects  of  his  labors, 
which  his  enemies  assail,  but  which  they  are  notable  to  obscure. 


THE   DIFFICULT   OFFICE. 


71 


ness  in  prayer.  I  have,  however,  by  watching  myself, 
found,  to  my  comfort,  that  this  fear,  if  you  will  call  it 
so,  only  torments  and  unnerves  me  before  anything  is 
put  into  execution ;  but  after  I  once  know  what  I  have 
to  bear,  though  it  be  a  cross  ever  so  heavy,  God,  in 
His  grace,  has  thus  far  always  given  me  the  necessary 
strength  and  courage  to  endure  to  the  end.  As  little, 
therefore,  as  this  apprehension  concerning  the  result  of 
my  epistolary  admonition  of  the  Elector  will  prevent 
me  from  doing  what  my  office  and  conscience  so  ur- 
gently constrain  me  to  do,  so  much  the  more  does  the 
just  reproach  torment  me  that  my  faith  is  still  too 
weak,  and  that  I,  in  such  severe  trials,  stand  continu- 
ally in  need  of  a  dear  friend,  who,  by  my  love  to  him, 
and  by  the  power  of  his  sympathy,  would  compel  me 
to  do  that  which  I  have  once  learned  to  know  as  my 
duty  before  God  and  man.  Therefore  have  I  ventured 
to  request  you  to  stay  with  me  a  few  days  longer,  so 
that  I  may  have  some  one  with  whom  I  can  converse 
to  the  strengthening  of  my  faith.  Ah,  dear  friend,  I 
am  at  times  greatly  pained  that  my  brethren  in  the 
ministry  in  this  city  reject  the  hand  of  peace  and  love 
which  I  continually  offer  them.  I  sometimes  appear 
to  myself  as  the  Lord's  preacher  in  the  wilderness — 
not  because  no  one  is  willing  to  listen  to  my  preaching, 
but  rather  because  I  stand  alone  in  the  midst  of  my 
brethren,  like  one  in  the  wilderness.  What  might  be 
accomplished  for  the  kingdom  of  God,  if  all  of  us  were 
unitedly  engaged  in  laboring  for  the  one  thing  needful ! 
Believe  me,  dear  Franke,  when  I  seriously  reflect  on 
the  dissensions  among  our  ministers,  even  my  most 
earnest  prayers   fail   in  affording   me   real  consolation 


2^2  PHILIPP  JACOB   SPENER. 

and  joy  in  the  faithful  and  fearless  continuance  of  my 
efforts." 

Franke  regarded  the  good  man  with  a  pained  look, 
and  said,  "  This,  my  dear  instructor,  is  the  common 
lot  of  all  faithful  servants  of  Christ.  The  word  of  God 
is  indeed  a  two-edged  sword.  It  must  wound  wherever 
it  strikes,  and  that  so  much  the  more  severely  among 
those  who,  called  to  wield  it,  suddenly  find  it  turned 
by  others  against  themselves.  The  same  has  happened 
to  me  with  regard  to  my  sermon  which  I  a  few  days 
ago  preached,  through  your  kind  intercession,  in  St. 
Sophia's  church,  here  in  Dresden.  Much  reason  as  I 
have  to  be  satisfied  with  the  opinions  expressed  by 
some,  I  have  nevertheless  also  been  told  of  many  harsh 
remarks  concerning  it.  Some  said  I  displayed  no 
learning  in  my  sermon,  which  was  an  evidence  of 
great  mental  poverty.  Others  thought  that  my  sermon 
had  little  efifect,  because  it  was  not  arranged  according 
to  the  method  prevailing  in  Leipzig,  which  means  that 
adopted  by  Dr.  Carpzov.  That  the  word  of  man 
should  meet  with  censure  and  opposition,  is  indeed 
natural;  but  that  the  word  of  God  should  as  unfre- 
quently  meet  with  the  approbation  of  man — " 

"Is  just  as  natural,  dear  Franke,"  interposed  Spener; 
"because  it  is  not  every  one's  business  to  distingui.sh 
between  the  word  of  God  and  that  of  man.  Hence 
mere  dogmatical  sermons,  which  treat  on  the  true  faith 
only  according  to  the  letter,  and  that  even  merely  with 
all  sorts  of  learned  embellishments,  produce  little  or  no 
effect,  if,  at  the  same  time,  the  life  and  actions  in  faith 
and  out  of  faith,  together  with  all  the  religious  wants 
of  the  heart,  are   not   regulated   according  to  it.     A 


T^E   DIFFICULT   OFFICE.  273 

sermon  which  does  not  arouse  the  heart  from  its  false 
security,  and  drive  it  to  repentance  and  amendment, 
and  which  does  not  bring  about  a  closer  union  with 
Christ  by  faith,  cannot  even  be  called  a  Christian 
sermon.  For  this  much  is  incontestably  true,  that  he 
who  has  only  faith,  and  no  love,  i.  e.,  true  godliness,  is 
as  far  from  possessing  true  faith  as  he  who  has  love 
without  faith.  For  faith  is  a  virtue,  and,  as  such,  com- 
prehended in  love,  as  my  beloved  James  says  :  '  Faith 
without  works  is  dead.'  Hence,  my  dear  friend,  in 
saying  that  the  word  of  God  proceeding  from  the  lips 
of  an  honest  minister  is  a  two-edged  sword,  you  are 
indeed  correct;  for  the  genuine  word  of  God  always 
requires  a  degree  of  humility  and  self-denial,  of  which 
even  the  best  Christian  is  but  seldom  or  never  capable ; 
yet,  in  the  mean  time,  I  nevertheless  regard  it  as  a 
part  of  Christian  wisdom,  that  the  minister,  in  all 
things,  use  persuasive,  instead  of  violent  and  severe 
language.  Whoever  desires  to  accomplish  successfully 
that  which  is  good  and  right,  must  never  resort  to 
scolding;  for  harsh  language  exasperates,  and  tends 
rather  to  increase  the  evil.  If  our  Lord  at  times 
denounced  the  sins  of  his  cotemporaries  in  unusually 
strong  terms,  he  could  only  in  this  serve  us  as  an 
example,  if  we,  like  Him,  were  without  sin;  and  if 
among  the  Apostles,  Paul,  more  especially,  defended 
the  gospel  of  Christ  by  employing  terms  equally  strong, 
or  even  stronger,  it  must,  in  his  case,  as  a  chosen 
Apostle  of  the  Lord,  who  had  given  himself  wholly  to 
the  Lord,  in  the  most  ardent  zeal  of  his  sincerest  love 
and  obedience,  certainly  be  passed  over  as  right  and 
proper;  but  we  possess    neither  this  strong  faith  nor 


274  PHIL  IFF  JACOB  SFEN^. 

this  ardent  love  of  Paul ;  neither  the  time  and  place  of 
his  labors.  The  more  affectionately  a  congregation  is 
addressed,  the  deeper  the  seed  will  penetrate;  whilst 
harsh  language  is  disheartening,  and  proves  a  hinder- 
ance  to  edification.  Solomon  says  that  kind  words 
and  looks  rejoice  the  heart  more  than  precious  gifts. 
And  Paul  himself  adds,  'Let  nothing  be  done  through 
strife  or  vain  glory,  but  in  lowliness  of  mind.'  There- 
fore I  hope  to  God,  my  Lord,  that  He  will  bless  and 
make  effectual  the  kind  words  which  I  design  to  ad- 
dress to  my  gracious  Elector.  And  now,  my  dear 
friend,  will  you  not  continue  your  stay  at  my  house  a 
few  days  longer  ?" 

"  With  all  my  heart,"  was  the  reply,  "  if  your  good 
housewife  will  not  weary  of  protracting  her  hospitality 
to  me.  Where  should  I  rather  wish  to  stay  than  with 
you  ?" 

"  Well,  then,  go,"  said  Spener,  "  and  rejoice  my  Su- 
sannah with  this  intelligence.  I  need  to  be  a  while 
longer  alone." 

Franke  went.  We  will,  in  our  next  chapter,  repair 
to  the  Elector's  apartment  at  Moritzburg,  in  order  that 
we  may  learn  what  Spener  effected  by  the  exercise  of 
his  office  as  father  confessor. 


CHAPTER    XV 


THE  LETTER. 


"  A  man  hath  joy  by  the  answer  of  his  mouth  :  and  a  word  spoken  in 
due  season,  how  good  is  it!" — Prov.    xv.  23. 

THE  castle  of  Moritzburg,  nearly  three  centuries 
old,  commenced  by  the  Elector  Moritz  in  1542,  and 
finished  about  fifty  years  after  by  the  Elector  Christian 
I.,  distant  from  Dresden  about  two  leagues,  and  situ- 
ated in  the  so-called  Friedwald,  was  at  that  time  the 
favorite  retreat  of  the  Saxon  sovereigns,  to  which  they 
frequently  resorted,  even  during  winter,  on  account  of 
the  abundance  of  game.  The  Elector  John  George, 
having,  about  thirty  years  prior  to  the  opening  of  our 
story,  erected  a  church  within  the  castle,  continued  to 
reside  there  with  his  family  for  months. 

Now,  indeed,  that  entire  magnificent  structure  pro- 
claims, if  not  the  decay  of  all  human  works,  at  least 
the  mutations  of  human  pleasures ;  and  a  walk  along 
the  dense  wood,  or  within  the  pleasant  garden  near  the 
new  castle,  or  through  the  deer  park,  will  recall  to  the 
memory  a  variety  of  glories  past,  never  to  return,  and 
fill  the  mind  of  the  wanderer  with  feelings  of  sadness 
rather  than  of  joy ;  and  if  Moritzburg  is  ever  now  men- 
tioned, it  is  more  on  account  of  the  many  and  large 
ponds  which  enliven  the  country  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
castle,  than  on  account  of  the  remarkable  times  which 
have  passed  over  it. 

(275) 


2^6  PHILIP P  JACOB  SPENER. 

At  the  time  from  which  our  story  is  dated,  about  a 
century  and  a  half  ago,  Moritzburg  was  nothing  more 
than  a  hunting  castle;  and  John  George  III.  carried  there 
with  him  the  most  confidential  of  his  privy  counselors 
and  courtieVs,  though  rather  for  consulting  with  them 
on  affairs  of  state  than  for  the  Elector's  personal  ser- 
vice and  entertainment. 

It  was  at  early  morn  on  the  22d  of  February,  when 
the  church  bells  of  the  metropolis  had  tolled  out  their 
first  call  to  repentance  and  peace  with  God,  whilst 
within  the  electoral  department  at  Moritzburg  peace 
with  man  was  somewhat  endangered.  The  Elector  was 
particularly  cheerful  in  his  conversation,  and  was  at 
that  moment  discoursing  on  the  prospect  of  a  new  mil- 
itary expedition  against  France,  in  favor  of  the  German 
emperor,  which  he,  in  company  with  his  two  princes, 
actually  undertook  in  the  spring  of  this  year. 

"The  German  empire,"  said  the  Elector  to  the  gentle- 
men around  him,  "  is  destined  to  have  no  rest.  Scarcely 
has  the  Turk  been  quieted  by  the  victory  of  the  im- 
perial army  in  Bosnia  (and  the  Turk  ought  to  lose  all 
relish  for  war,  when  he  thinks  of  Vienna!)  when  the 
ever  restless  and  never  satisfied  King  of  France  again 
s-ends  his  hosts,  thirsting  for  conquest,  into  Germany. 
We  are  exceedingly  sorry  that  Hcilbronn,  Mainz,  Hei- 
delberg, and  the  cities  along  the  Rhine,  especially 
Spcier  and  Worms,  have  again  fallen  into  his  hands. 
We  can  scarcely  wait  until  better  roads  and  more  fav- 
orable weather  permit  us  to  drive  our  greedy  neigh- 
bor back  within  his  old  boundaries,  and  especially  to 
take  from  him,  first  of  .all,  the  strongly  fortified  city  of 
Mainz.     What  think  you  of  it,  Griuirode  ?" 


THE    LETTER. 


277 


"  Your  Electoral  Highness,"  replied  the  one  ad- 
dressed, a  tolerably  aged  man,  who  had  grown  gray  in 
the  faithful  service  of  his  sovereign,  "  I  fully  share  your 
just  anger  against  our  wicked  neighbor.  Yet  if  my 
gracious  sovereign  will  allow  me  to  remark " 

"  Speak !"  quickly  exclaimed  the  Elector,  casting 
toward  him  a  look  full  of  expectation. 

"The  whole  German  empire  knows,"  continued  the 
privy  counselor,  "  with  what  personal  courage  and 
knightly  valor  your  Electoral  Highness  has  endured 
the  dangers  and  hardships  of  war.  It  will  never  be 
forgotten  how  you,  my  gracious  sovereign,  about  six- 
teen years  ago,  effected  your  escape,  with  uncommon 
bravery,  from  the  hands  of  the  enemy ;  and  how  you,  a 
few  years  after,  took  the  field  a  number  of  times  with 
great  renown.  Especially  will,  at  all  times,  grateful 
mention  be  made  of  your  Electoral  Highness,  how  in  '83, 
on  that  memorable  second  of  September,  you  gained, 
at  the  head  of  your  faithful  Saxons,  for  his  Imperial 
majesty,  the  victory  over  the  Turks  at  the  battle  of 
Vienna,  and  with  your  own  valiant  hand  planted  the 
first  Christian  banner  upon  Turkish  soil,  and  afterwards 
pursued  the  enemy  with  great  skill.  My  gracious  sov- 
ereign has  also,  since  then,  given  frequent  proofs  that 
he  does  not  regard  danger,  or  even  death  itself,  where 
the  Fatherland  is  to  be  defended,  or  just  aid  is  to  be 
afforded.  But  now,  your  Electoral  Highness,  you 
should  allow  yourself  some  well-merited  rest  and  nec- 
essary recreation,  a  wish  which,  as  I  well  know,  is 
shared  by  the  whole  country." 

"And  why?"  asked  John  George,  impatiently,  and 
with  a  piercing  look. 


2^8  PHILIPP   JACOB   SPENER. 

"  May  God  preserve  me,"  replied  Griinrode,  whom  it 
had  not  escaped,  that  the  Elector  was  not  well  pleased 
with  the  wish  just  expressed.  "  May  God  preserve 
me  from  incurring  the  displeasure  of  my  gracious  sov- 
ereign. But  I  have  grown  old  and  gray  in  the  faithful 
service  of  your  sainted  father,  and  would  feel  deeply 
grieved  if  my  gracious  sovereign  should  have  cause  to 
doubt  my  sincere  devotion  during  the  eight  years  of  his 
reign." 

"  No,  no,  my  dear  Griinrode,"  said  the  sovereign,  in 
a  mild  and  conciliatory  tone.  "Speak  plainly;  what 
would  you." 

"  The  spirit  of  man,"  now  continued  the  privy  coun- 
selor, "  becomes  strong,  and  requires  vigor  in  time  of 
need  and  trial;  but  the  body  is  a  fragile  tenement. 
Physical  strength  may,  indeed,  for  a  time,  brave  the 
elements  and  bear  up  against  calamity;  but  sooner  or 
later,  the  inherent  weakness  appears  ;  it  succumbs  and 
wastes  itself  like  everything  else  that  is  temporal  and 
born  of  the  dust." 

"We  are  almost  induced  to  believe,"  suggested  the 
Elector,  playfully,  "that  you  have  taken,  to-day,  the 
place  of  our  confessor,  from  whom  we  had  intended,  by 
all  means,  to  escape.  However,  you  are  right;  your 
gray  hairs,  my  dear  Griinrode,  which  you  carry  with 
honor,  should  indeed  be  a  warning  to  us  that  a  day  is 
coming  when  my  shoulders  will  no  longer  be  able  to 
support  the  weighty  armor." 

"Certainly,  my  gracious  sovereign,"  assured  Griin- 
rode; "  and  even  at  the  risk  of  my  saying  something  un- 
seemly, I  cannot  but  remark,  that  your  Electoral  High- 
ness has  been  visibly  affected  by  the  severe  and  unusu- 


THE   LETTER. 


279 


ally  fatiguing  hardships  of  war,  to  which  you  have 
been  almost  constantly  exposed.  Why  will  you,  my 
most  serene  sovereign,  take  so  little  care  of  your  health 
and  life,  and  thus  shorten  the  time  of  your  prosperous 
reign?  The  gracious  princes  have,  doubtless,  under 
the  wise  guidance  of  their  most  august  father,  acquired 
so  much  experience  that  they  are  fully  capable  of  aid- 
ing and  assisting  your  Electoral  Highness:  especially 
may  it  be  presumed  of  prince  August,  that  he  has 
richly  inherited  his  gracious  father's  courage  and 
bravery." 

"You  doubtless  mean  well,"  calmly  replied  John 
George,  though  not  without  some  sensitiveness — for 
who  likes  to  hear  of  his  being  old  and  frail? — "yet," 
he  continued,  "your  precaution  for  us  and  our  country 
goes  a  little  too  far.  We  feel  ourselves,  thanks  be  to 
God,  still  sufficiently  strong  to  wield  the  sword,  and  to 
mount  into  the  saddle.     What  think  you,  sirs  ?  " 

The  other  gentlemen,  among  whom  we  know  only 
the  noble  Herr  von  Langendorf,  bowed,  and  at  first 
whispered  their  consent,  before  one  among  them,  a 
strong  and  vigorous  man,  gushing  over  with  health, 
answered  in  the  name  of  all :  "  Certainly,  your  Elec- 
toral Highness !  We,  at  least,  cannot  agree  with  the 
opinion  expressed  by  Herr  Griinrode,  but,  on  the 
contrary,  find  your  Electoral  Highness  much  more 
active  and  vigorous  now  than  a  few  months  ago. 
Besides,  the  necessity  of  his  Electoral  Highness  main- 
taining his  dignity  over  against  the  enemy,  and  of 
animating  the  courage  of  the  soldiers,  who  are  accus- 
tomed to  the  noble  presence  of  their  august  master, 
should  also  be  taken  into  consideration." 


28o  PHIL  IFF  JACOB  SFENER. 

"  Do  you  think  so,  Senkwitz  ?"  asked  the  Elector, 
sminng  kindly  upon  him.  "  Though  you  are  by  no 
means  an  impartial  judge  in  this  matter,  for  we  know 
your  knightly  inclination  and  unwearied  delight  in 
taking  the  field  against  the  enemy." 

Though  Griinrode  found  himself  standing  entirely 
alone  and  unsupported  against  the  Elector,  with  his 
views  and  wishes,  he  was  still  not  discouraged  from 
expressing  himself  further.  "  My  gracious  sovereign," 
he  began  anew,  with  the  frankness  of  an  aged  and 
faithful  servant,  "though  I  should  incur  your  dis- 
pleasure, I  must  venture  to  say  another  word.  I  am 
an  aged  man,  and  have  been  unable  for  several  years 
to  say  with  the  Bible,  *  The  days  of  our  years  are  three 
score  years  and  ten.'  And  when  I  now  look  upon  my 
pilgrimage  of  more  than  seventy  years,  what  do  I  find? 
Scarcely  aught  but  war  and  bloodshed.  I  have  passed 
through  a  great  part  of  the  unspeakably  dreadful  Ger- 
man war,  and  hoped  to  God  that  the  peace  of  West- 
phalia would  restore  quiet  and  harmony  in  the  German 
empire.  But  how  many  storms  of  war  have  since  then 
swept  over  us,  especially  those  provoked  by  Turkey 
and  France  ?  And,  your  Electoral  Highness,  what 
has  been  gained  by  it  for  the  advancement  of  the 
welfare  of  the  people,  and  the  prosperity  of  their  sov- 
ereigns ?  Little  or  nothing.  Happiness  and  prosperity 
are  not  to  be  expected  as  long  as  princes,  eager  for 
conquest,  take  more  pleasure  in  war  than  in  peace." 

"Of  a  truth,"  here  interrupted  John  George,  showing 
plainly  by  his  frowning  looks  and  knit  brows,  how  dis- 
tasteful to  him  were  the  remarks  of  his  privy  counselor 
— "Of  a    truth,  Griinrode,  you  put  our  patience  and 


THE   LETTER.  28 1 

forbearance  to  an  unusual  test  to-day.  Do  you  then 
think  that  we  begin  the  war  or  desire  it  ?  Are  we  the 
parties  who  encroach  on  the  possessions  of  others,  or 
are  we  only  endeavoring  to  protect  and  re-conquer  our 
own?  Really  we  cannot  comprehend  for  what  reason 
you  have  just  to-day  undertaken  to  supply  the  place 
of  our  Reverend  Dr.  Spener,  whom  you  perhaps  miss 
among  our  privy  counselors.  We  would  rather  wish 
you  to  refrain  from  giving  your  opinions,  since  they 
stray  too  much  into  the  province  of  learning  and  the 
confessional." 

These  words,  and  more  especially  the  last,  which  had 
not  been  uttered  without  some  harshness,  evidently 
produced  among  all  the  rest  some  excitement,  not  at  all 
favorable  to  Mr.  Griinrode,  and  they  regarded  the  old 
man  with  great  astonishment  and  disapprobation.  But 
the  old  counselor,  either  because  he  knew,  by  long 
experience,  how  quickly  the  anger  of  the  Elector 
passed  off,  or  because  he  really  believed  himself  priv- 
ileged above  the  rest  on  account  of  his  age  and  more 
than  fifty  years  of  faithful  service,  suffice  it  to  say, 
continued  unappalled,  laid  his  hand  upon  his  heart, 
and  said  :  "  My  most  serene  sovereign,  to-day,  for  the 
first  time,  I  incur  your  displeasure,  and  perhaps  also  it 
is  the  first  time  that  I  have  allowed  myself  such  frank 
expression  on  this  subject.  But  I  would  cease  to  be  a 
faithful  servant  of  my  sovereign  should  I  speak  other 
than  that  to  which  my  heart  and  conscience  urge  me. 
It  is  said  that  age  loves  rest  and  peace,  and  justly; 
and  that  not  so  much  from  a  love  of  ease  or  on  account 
of  weakness,  as  because  it  has  arrived  at  the  convic- 
tion that  neither  individual  happiness  nor  the  prosper- 


282  PHIL  IP P  JACOB   SPENER. 

ity  of  the  state  can  be  advanced  as  long  as,  I  must 
repeat  it,  our  sovereigns  themselves  love  war.  And 
now  your  Highness,  humble  my  gray  head,  and  chas- 
tise me  with  the  full  weight  of  your  displeasure,  my 
heart  will  still  not  cease  to  love  you,  as  only  a  father 
can  love  his  son." 

The  Elector  sprung  from  his  chair,  and  paced  with 
long  strides  to  and  fro.  His  eyes  sparkled  with  fire. 
He  spoke  not  a  word  in  reply,  but  his  features  showed 
what  a  mighty  conflict  was  passing  within;  whilst 
Griinrode  respectfully,  yet  fearlessly  continued  :  "  My 
most  gracious  sovereign,  at  this  hour  the  whole  nation 
is  hurrying  to  the  house  of  God ;  this  is  the  day  of 
humiliation  and  prayer!  Now  if  1,  constrained  by  my 
conscience,  have  spoken  of  that  peace  which  the  world 
has  not,  neither  is  able  to  give,  but  which  the  world 
should  labor  and  strive  to  possess,  will  you,  on  that 
account,  withdraw  your  favor  from  me?" 

Again  a  deep  silence  ensued.  The  rest  of  the  privy 
counselors  and  courtiers  were  in  great  fear  and  em- 
barrassment, and  cast  restless  glances  at  the  Elector, 
who  appeared  unable  to  determine,  within  himself,  how 
to  receive  the  remarks  of  his  aged  and  faithful  servant. 
At  length  his  features  began  to  relax  their  severity; 
his  face  grew  milder,  and  he  was  about  to  address 
some  kindly  words  of  pardon  to  the  old  statesman, 
when  the  door  opened,  and  the  valet-de-chambre  of 
the  Elector  appeared  with  a  large  letter  in  his  hand. 
Herr  von  Langendorf  hastened  towards  him,  took  the 
letter  from  him,  listened  hastily  to  what  the  servant 
whispered  in  his  ear,  and  then  signified  to  him  quietly 
to  retire.     All  this  transpired  so    rapidly   and    noise- 


THE   LETTER.  283 

lessly,  that  the  Elector,  who  was  lost  in  deep  thought, 
had  not  even  noticed  it.  This  dead  silence  was  truly 
painful,  since  Griinrode,  too,  seemed  to  have  lost  the 
disposition  to  say  any  thing  further.  At  length  Lang- 
endorf  ventured  to  say: 

"Your  Electoral  Highness,  here  is  a  letter  upon 
which  I  recognize  the  hand-writing  of  the  court- 
chaplain,  Dr.  Spener;  it  has  just  arrived  by  the 
carrier." 

These  words,  spoken  at  a  most  unseasonable  mo- 
ment, aroused  the  Elector  from  his  revery.  He  hastily 
snatched  the  letter,  glanced  at  the  address,  cast  an 
angry  look  towards  Griinrode,  and  said,  in  a  tone  of 
bitterness :  "  Herr  Griinrode,  you  have  posted  your 
reserve  forces  well."  And  immediately  after,  before 
the  aged  counselor  could  recover  from  his  surprise, 
he  added,  angrily,  "  You  are  dismissed !" 

"  God  is  my  witness !"  replied  the  old  man,  in  a 
mournful  but  fearless  tone,  "that  I  do  not  deserve  this 
reproach."  And  then,  bowing  respectfully,  he  left  the 
apartment. 

The  incensed  Elector  began  once  more  to  pace  up 
and  down  the  room,  when  an  idea  seemed  suddenly  to 
strike  him.  "  Langendorf,"  he  called  out,  "  call  him 
back." 

And  when  immediately  after,  Grunrode  reentered  the 
room  in  company  with  Langendorf,  the  Elector  went 
hastily  up  to  him,  turned  his  piercing  eyes  full  upon 
him,  handed  him  the  letter,  and  said  :  "  Read  this  letter 
to  us!" 

Grunrode,  at  first,  regarded  the  Elector  hesitatingly; 
but  when  he  perceived  his  stern  earnestness,  he  quickly 


284  PHILIPP  JACOB   SPENER. 

determined  to  comply — he  therefore  opened  the  letter 
and  read,  as  follows  : 

"  Divine  grace,  peace,  light,  strength  and  life  from 
our  blessed  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  : 

"  Most  serene  prince  ; 

"  Most  gracious  Elector  and  sovereign  ; 

'"Blessed  art  thou,  O  king,  whose  servants  are  faith- 
ful and  noble.'  With  these  ever  memorable  words, 
uttered  by  your  Electoral  Highness,  I  left,  a  few 
months  ago,  the  cabinet  of  your  Electoral  Grace,  and 
have  repeated  them  ever  since  in  my  prayers.  Blessed 
art  thou,  O  land,  when  thy  king  is  the  son  of  nobles ! 
With  what  sincere  joy  and  devout  gratitude  to  God 
can  I  do  this  1  The  Lord  has  vouchsafed  to  me  a 
profound  look  into  your  noble  and  truly  princely  heart, 
and,  in  consequence  of  this  precious  reward  of  my 
labors,  hitherto  performed  in  your  service,  and  in  that 
of  my  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  I  venture,  with  all  due  sub- 
mission, and  the  honest  assurance  of  my  sincerest 
respect,  and  all  due  obedience,  to  employ  the  celebra- 
tion of  the  present  day  of  humiliation  and  prayer,  by 
addressing  myself,  with  the  parental  love  of  a  con- 
fessor, to  the  Christian  heart  of  my  Electoral  son." 

Griinrode  ceased  reading  at  this  point,  in  order  to 
await  a  renewal  of  the  summons  to  proceed ;  for  the 
old  and  experienced  man  felt  that  the  letter  might  per- 
haps contain  something  which  the  Elector  would  after- 
wards regret  having  come  to  the  knowledge  of  others, 
though  he  had  commanded  it  to  be  read  entire.  In 
this  the  shrewd  statesman  had  not  been  mistaken. 
When  he  had  ceased  reading,  the  Elector  cast  a  dark 
look  upon  him,  and,  as   if  he  understood  Grunrode's 


THE   LETTER.  285 

inquiring  gaze,  went  up  to  him,  took  the  letter  out  of 
his  hand,  seated  himself  on  his  chair,  and  began  to  read 
to  himself. 

Whoever,  among  those  present,  understood  how  to 
read  the  innermost  thoughts  by  the  play  of  the  human 
countenance,  could  easily  perceive  that  the  Confessor's 
letter  made  a  deep,  though  varied  impression  on  the 
Elector.  At  times  he  would  cease  reading,  and  be- 
come lost  in  earnest  thought;  then  he  would  rise  up 
and  walk  meditatingly  to  and  fro;  then  again  he  would 
resume  his  seat  and  begin  to  read  anew.  Thus  more 
than  half  an  hour  passed  away — half  an  hour  of  the 
most  painful  suspense  for  all  present;  among  whom, 
not  one  ventured  to  move,  much  less  to  leave  the  room. 
When  the  Elector  had  finished  reading  the  letter,  he 
threw  it  angrily  upon  the  table,  ejaculating,  "  By 
Heaven,  the  man  is  bold  !" 

And  then  again  a  pause  of  the  most  oppressive 
silence,  during  which  the  Elector  paced  silently,  and  in 
communion  with  his  own  thoughts,  to  and  fro.  At 
length  he  said,  in  a  tone  rather  entreating  than  com- 
manding: "  We  would  be  alone." 

When  those  present  had  nearly  all  respectfully  with- 
drawn from  the  apartment,  John  George  called  out, 
"  Griinrode,  you  may  remain !"  The  old  man  tarried, 
and  finally,  in  obedience  to  the  Elector's  command, 
took  a  seat. 

"Be  honest,  Griinrode,"  kindly  said  the  Elector  to 
him.  "  Did  you  know  aught  of  this  letter  of  our  Con- 
fessor ?" 

"  As  God  is  my  witness,"  replied  the  aged  statesman, 
"no,  my  gracious  master!" 


286  PHILIPP  JACOB   SPENER. 

The  Elector  remained  silent  for  some  time,  then  con- 
tinued :  "  Yet,  how  does  it  happen,  that  you  express 
pretty  much  the  same  thoughts  as  the  Doctor,  and 
that,  moreover,  just  on  this  day?" 

"  I  am  entirely  ignorant,"  replied  the  privy  counselor, 
"  what  the  reverend  Confessor  of  your  Electoral  High- 
ness, whom  I  very  highly  esteem,  has  written.  But, 
if  my  gracious  sovereign  would  permit  me  to  say,  why 
I  have  just  on  this  day  allowed  myself  such  bold  ex- 
pressions   " 

"  Speak  openly !"  quickly  interrupted  John  George. 
"We  shall  not  forget  the  faithful  service  which  you 
have  rendered  to  our  sainted  father  and  to  ourselves." 

"  Your  Electoral  Highness,"  now  began  the  old  man, 
"  I  conclude,  to-day,  the  seventy-fifth  year  of  my  life, 
and,  if  my  presentiments  do  not  deceive  me,  the  one 
upon  which  I  am  just  entering  will  be  the  last  of  my 
earthly  pilgrimage.  In  such  a  frame  of  mind,  one  looks 
at  his  earthly  life  with  widely  different  eyes  than  ordi- 
narily; and  I  asked  myself  only  this  morning,  "What 
have  you  done  in  these  seventy-five  years,  which,  by 
the  grace  of  God,  you  have  been  permitted  to  spend, 
for  your  own  salvation,  for  the  well-being  of  your  fel- 
low-men, and  the  advancement  of  the  kingdom  of  God 
on  earth  in  general  ?  And  notwithstanding  I  sought  for 
the  least  thing  of  which  I  might  boast  before  God,  I 
was,  nevertheless,  forced  to  say  with  Paul,  *  It  is  not  ex- 
pedient for  me,  doubtless,  to  glory;  but  if  I  must  needs 
glory,  I  will  glory  of  the  things  that  concern  mine  in- 
firmities.' Oh !  my  most  gracious  sovereign,  what,  in 
the  end,  is  human  life  ?  Having  passed  out  of  the  par- 
adise of    childhood,  and   become    conscious    of    our 


THE    LETTER. 


287 


power  and  abilities,  it  seems  as  if  we  intentionally  strive 
to  be  our  own  enemies.  It  is  true,  the  heart,  under  the 
influence  of  the  intoxication  of  worldly  enjoyments, 
for  a  time  forgets  many  a  crime,  with  which  it  has 
burdened  itself;  and  yet,  how  soon  and  how  often  does 
a  ray  of  light  from  above  break  through  the  darkness 
of  our  souls,  and  point  out  to  us  the  proper  path  we 
should  pursue.  But  then  we  are  oftentimes  tormented 
by  cares  and  anxieties  for  temporal  power  and  glory ; 
sometimes  afflictions  cause  us  pain  and  sorrow,  and 
consume  a  goodly  part  of  our  lives;  at  one  time  it  is 
love  of  honor;  at  another,  temporal  gain,  love  of  tem- 
poral power;  now  selfish  caprice  of  our  hearts;  and 
again,  unchristian  prejudice;  at  times  it  is  hatred  and 
cruelty  which  determine  and  control  our  actions  ;  but, 
in  all,  it  is  the  world  and  the  things  that  are  in  the 
world  which  take  possession  of  our  thoughts  and  feel- 
ings and  desires.  And,  though  we  have  done  much 
that  is  good,  it  must,  after  all,  in  the  end,  be  referred 
to  our  own  advantage,  or  to  our  own  individual  pleas- 
ure, for  the  sake  of  which  we  made  the  sacrifice. 
Thus,  days,  years  succeed  each  other,  and  suddenly 
we  become  aware  that  our  hairs  have  grown  gray,  and 
the  vigor  of  our  bodies  has  become  dried  up ;  and  as 
often  as  one  after  another  is  carried  out  to  his  grave, 
the  heart,  disgusted  with  itself,  and  anxious,  exclaims : 
'  This  night  God  may  also  require  thy  soul  of  thee !' 
Oh,  my  gracious  sovereign,  this  will  ever  be  a  painful 
summons  to  mortals!" 

A  dark  frown  had  gathered  upon  the  Elector's 
countenance  which,  however,  seemed  to  refer  more  to 
his   own  thoughts  than  to  the  remarks  of  his  aged 


288  PHIL  IFF  JACOB  SFENER. 

counselor;  for,  after  some  time,  he  inquired:  "What 
is  it  then  of  which  you  have  to  accuse  us  ?" 

"God  forbid,"  repHed  Griinrode,  "that  I  should  har- 
bor in  my  heart  such  an  intention  against  your  Elec- 
toral Highness.  Whatever  I  have  presumed  to  say, 
was  said  only  in  consequence  of  an  earnest  retrospect 
of  my  own  life,  which  will  soon  draw  to  a  close ;  and 
if,  in  so  doing,  I  wished  that  peace  to  others,  of  which 
I  myself  was  so  often  destitute,  it  was  only  the  sin- 
cerest  love  for  your  Electoral  Highness  which  caused 
me  to  forget  that  such  remarks  did  not  belong  to  my 
station." 

"And  yet,"  continued  John  George,  with  the  kindest 
condescension,  "you  have,  nevertheless,  a  high  calling 
to  make  them;  for  you  have  the  Bible  on  your  side, 
where  it  is  said  that  *  Much  experience  is  the  crown  of 
men,  and  the  fear  of  God  is  their  glory.'  *  Yet,"  he 
quickly  added,  with  some  irritability,  "you  may  also 
apply  to  yourself  another  passage  from  the  Bible, 
'  Miss  not  the  discourse  of  the  elders,  for  of  them  thou 
shalt  learn  understanding,  and  to  give  answer  as  need 
requireth.'  f  What  think  you,  can  we  learn  from 
you  ?" 

Griinrode  perceiving  at  once  that  these  words  had 
not  been  uttered  without  asperity,  and  as  he  well  knew 
how  quickly  the  feelings  of  his  sovereign  changed, 
and  how  a  single  word  would  often  be  productive  of 
great  mischief,  and  as  he  not  improperly  understood 
the  Elector's  question  to  refer  to  his  previous  remarks, 
he  replied:  "  My  most  serene  and  gracious  sovereign, 
I  am  far  too  insignificant,  both  as  regards  my  knowl- 

*  Ecclesiasticus  xxv.  6.  \  Ibid  8,  9. 


THE   LETTER. 


289 


edge  and  power,  to  presume  to  set  myself  up  as  the 
instructor  of  my  august  sovereign  and  master.  What 
I,  a  Httle  while  ago,  undertook  to  say,  was  meant  more 
in  general  than  in  particular.  God  is  my  witness,  how 
sincerely,  yea,  how  paternally,  I  love  your  Electoral 
Highness — and  how  I,  from  the  firmest  conviction, 
appreciate  your  great  and  noble  qualities.  But  one 
thing,  only  one  thing " 

"  Name  it !"  exclaimed  the  Elector,  when  he  saw 
that  the  other  hesitated. 

"  My  most  gracious  sovereign,"  now  continued 
Griinrode,  "  I  know  that  you  love  your  people  like  a 
father,  and  that  you  are  willing  to  do  anything  for  the 
good  of  your  country;  yet  you  are,  I  must  repeat  it, 
you  are  too  much  in  love  with  war,  and  the  noise  and 
tumult  of  battle." 

The  aged  statesman  feared  that  these  remarks  might 
excite  anew  the  ire  of  the  Elector;  but  he  was  mis- 
taken. John  George  smiled  good-humoredly,  and 
said :  "  Is  that  our  greatest  fault,  Griinrode  ?  If  so, 
make  yourself  easy  as  we  do.  First,  you  will  remem- 
ber, that  we  have  never  taken  up  the  sword  wantonly, 
and  without  just  cause.  And  if  we,  in  such  instances, 
did  it  willingly  and  zealously,  you  should  rather  com- 
mend us  for  it ;  for  it  was  done  out  of  paternal  solici- 
tude for  our  country,  with  a  view  to  maintain  the 
dignity  and  fair  fame  of  our  Saxon  people  and  its 
sovereigns,  in  duty  to  his  Imperial  Majesty,  and  in  just 
opposition  to  the  pretensions  of  rapacious  nations ;  it 
was  done  in  fulfillment  of  the  duties  of  the  office  to 
which  God  has  called  us  on  earth.  We  feel  that  wars 
and  sanguinary  conflicts  are  intended  to  constitute  the 


290  PHILIP P  JACOB  SPENER. 

element  in  which  we  have  to  discharge  our  duty  as 
sovereign." 

"And  my  most  serene  master,"  added  the  aged 
statesman,  "has"  only  too  often  discharged  this  duty 
faithfully,  with  a  too  great  disregard  for  his  own  life. 
However,  in  our  general  vocation,  which  the  Christian 
holds  higher  than  the  special  calling,  we  are  sometimes 
led  astray  by  the  idea  that  we  cannot  do  otherwise  in 
this  or  that  particular;  because  we  imagine  ourselves 
specially  called  to  it  of  God.  I  mean  what  our  rev- 
erend Dr.  Spener  recently  said  in  his  edifying  sermon 
— '  The  Christian  has  only  one  calling,  namely,  to 
follow  Christ;  and  this  calling  consists  in  every  one 
w^arring  against  his  own  self  until  he  is  able  to  deny 
himself  in  all  things,  take  up  his  cross,  and  follow 
Christ." 

"Of  a  truth,"  said  the  Elector,  with  a  spice  of  irony, 
"you  have  a  great  talent  for  a  Confessor!  However," 
he  immediately  added,  in  a  kindlier  tone,  as  if  he 
regretted  having  uttered  even  this  innocent  reproach 
against  the  faithful  old  servant,  "  we  know,  Griinrode, 
you  mican  it  honestly,  and  we  thank  you.  Should  you 
see  Dr.  Spener  before  ourselves,  which  is  very  possi- 
ble, tell  him  that  his  letter  has  been  received,  and  that 
we  reserve  it  to  ourselves  to  speak  to  him  in  regard  to 
it  as  opportunity  may  permit." 

And  with  this  he  kindly  extended  his  hand  to  the 
Privy  Counselor,  who  pressed  it,  exclaiming,  with 
heartfelt  feeling:  "  God  bless  your  Electoral  Highness! 
May  I  still  venture  upon  a  request  of  my  gracious 
sovereign  ?  Will  his  Electoral  Grace  permit  me  to 
return  to  Dresden  until  to-morrow  evenincf? 


THE   LETTER. 


291 


"  Do  you  wish  to  leave  us  ?"  asked  the  Elector. 
"  Do  you  find  it  too  lonesome  here  ?" 

"  No,  my  gracious  sovereign,"  was  the  reply ;  "  but 
this  is  the  day  of  humiliation  and  prayer,  and  I  have 
an  ardent  desire  to  hear  one  more  sermon." 

The  Elector  cast  a  frowning  look  upon  the  old  man ; 
and  unkind  thoughts,  indicatmg  suspicion,  seemed  to 
pass  through  his  mind ;  but  he  collected  himself  and 
said,  '  Go,  in  God's  name.  He  who  would  serve  his 
God  should  not  be  prevented  from  so  doing  by  man.' " 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

THE     WORK  OF  DEFAMATION. 

"  A  froward  man  soweth  strife,  and  a  whisperer  separateth  chief 
friends." — Prov.  xvi.  28. 

ON  the  morning  following  the  day  of  humiliation 
and  prayer,  which  was  fraught  with  so  much  im- 
portance to  the  ecclesiastical  relations  of  Saxony,  we 
again  find  the  Elector,  John  George  III.,  in  his  cabinet 
at  Moritzburg,  surrounded  by  some  of  his  courtiers, 
called  together  for  his  personal  service,  among  whom 
our  noble  Herr  von  Langendorf  justified  his  fame  as 
favorite  knight  to  His  Electoral  Highness,  in  so  far 
that  he  fastened  the  golden  spurs  of  the  Elector  with 
very  officious  and  dexterous  hands. 

"  What  success  think  you  we  will  meet  with  in  the 
chase  to-day  ?"  sportively  asked  the  Elector,  in  a  tone, 
however,  which  indicated  that  he  did  not  expect  a 
reply  to  his  question ;  for  he  immediately  continued, 
jestingly,  "as  it  happens  just  between  the  day  of 
humiliation  and  prayer  and  Sunday,  great  success 
should,  perhaps,  not  be  predicted.  Yet  our  body  longs 
for  such  an  exercise  to-day.  To-morrow  we  will 
listen  to  the  sermon  of  our  worshipful  Confessor  so 
much  the  more  attentively." 

Those  present  bowed  respectfully,  and  in  silence, 
casting,  however,  mutual  glances  towards  each  other, 
which  were  unmistakably  expressive  of  an  invitation 
and  encouragement   to  speak,  but  for  which    no   one 

(292) 


THE   WORK  OF  DEFAMATION.  293 

seemed  to  have  sufficient  courage.  This  unusual  con- 
duct had  not  escaped  the  hasty  but  comprehensive 
glance  of  the  Elector.  "  What  is  the  matter,  noble 
sirs?"  he  inquired,  in  a  quick  and  commanding  voice. 

Langendorf,  who  had  just  finished  buckling  on  his 
master's  spurs,  had,  as  he  rose  fi'om  his  work,  and 
stepped  back  a  few  paces,  pushed,  as  it  seemed,  with 
well-calculated  awkwardness,  against  a  paper  which 
protruded  from  the  Elector's  writing-table,  in  such  a 
way,  that  it  fell  to  the  floor.  He  picked  it  up  hastily 
and  returned  it  to  its  place.  This  had  not  escaped  the 
Elector.  His  features  suddenly  grew  dark  as  he  said, 
"  Langendorf,  perhaps  you  are  desirous  of  seeing 
Spener's  letter?" 

This  question  threw  the  wiiole  company  into  a  state 
of  embarrassment,  and  they  now  resumed  their  sig- 
nificant ocular  intercourse  so  much  the  more  vigor- 
ously, as  if  it  were  high  time  to  speak.  But  it  seemed 
as  if  their  lips  were  closed  with  a  lock — and  the  Elec- 
tor, observing  this,  continued,  in  a  commanding  voice, 
"  Must  we  ask  you  again  what  is  the  matter?  Speak, 
Senkwitz!  you  are  the  oldest." 

Senkwitz  now  took  courage  and  said,  "  Your  Elec- 
toral Highness  seems,  then,  determined  to  attend  the 
preaching  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Spener  to-morrow  morning?" 

"  Why  not  ?"  quickly  asked  the  Elector,  whilst  a 
mixture  of  irony  and  seriousness  passed  in  rapid  suc- 
cession over  his  countenance.  "  Our  worshipful  Con- 
fessor would  not  readily  pardon  us  the  delinquency, 
especially  since  we  did  not,  despite  the  earnest  invita- 
tion to  do  so,  attend  church  yesterday,  on  the  day  of 
humiliation  and  prayer." 


294  PHILIPP  JACOB   SPENER. 

"  If  His  Electoral  Highness  will  graciously  pardon 
me,"  continued  Senkwitz,  "  I  would  say  it  has  seemed  to 
us  that  yesterday's  letter  from  Dr.  Spener,  as  far  as 
we  were  favored  by  your  Electoral  Grace  with  its  con- 
tents, did  somewhat  transcend  the  limits  of  the  Elec- 
toral Confessor's  privilege." 

"  Do  you  think  so  ?"  asked  John  George,  knitting 
his  brow.  "  This  may  be  so,"  he  then  continued  more 
earnestly  and  calmly,  "  yet  we  will  not  conceal  from 
you  that  this  letter  has  deeply  affected  us." 

"And  yet,"  added  another  among  the  courtiers,  "if 
your  Electoral  Highness  will  graciously  permit,  it 
would  seem  to  us  all  that  a  letter,  such  as  Dr.  Spener 
presumed  to  address  to  your  Electoral  Highness,  is 
not  compatible  with  that  same  profound  respect  which 
we  all,  as  most  faithful  and  obedient  servants,  so  will- 
ingly and  cheerfully  accord  in  all  due  deference  to  our 
most  serene  master." 

"You  forget,  Bennewitz,"  replied  the  Elector,  with 
firmness  and  earnestness,  "that  the  Confessor  enjoys 
the  privilege  of  employing  freer  speech  to  those  under 
his  care ;  and  though — why  should  we  conceal  it  ? — we 
did,  indeed,  at  first,  view  it  in  the  same  light  as  you, 
yet,  when  we  reflected  that  the  entire  letter  emanated 
from  a  sincere  and  submissive  heart — a  heart  feeling  a 
parental  solicitude  for  our  well-being — we  regarded  it  a 
Christian  duty  to  receive  it  in  all  kindness,  and  to  give 
attention  to  the  hints  he  has  proffered ;  for  we  are  all 
subject  to  the  King  of  kings." 

"  We  are  only  too  happy,"  said  Herr  von  Bennewitz, 
"to  hear  such  pious.  Christian  expressions  from  the  lips 
of  our  most  gracious    master.     Yet — however,    it  does 


THE   WORK   OF  DEFAMATION.  295 

not  become  me  to  pass  judgment  on  a  man  who  enjoys 
the  distinctive  favor  of  being  His  Electoral  Highness' 
Confessor." 

"What  have  you  to  say?"  quickly  dem.anded  John 
George,  with  flashing  eye.  "If  you  have  just  grounds 
of  complaint  against  our  Confessor,  let  us  hear  them. 
If  not,  you  would  have  done  better  to  be  silent." 

Bennewitz  had  not  expected  this  well-merited  re- 
buke ;  for  he  cast  down  his  eyes  in  confusion,  and,  with 
him,  the  faithful  band  of  co-laborers  in  the  work  of  the 
defamation  of  the  man  they  hated.  The  conviction, 
too,  that  their  mode  of  procedure  was  not  altogether 
legitimate,  and  that  it  was,  after  all,  not  so  easy  as  they 
had  imagined  to  bring  the  intrepid  Confessor  into  dis- 
favor with  the  Elector,  increased  their  embarrassment. 
However,  to  retreat  was  now  impossible ;  at  least,  it 
would  have  been  disastrous  to  themselves.  All  they 
could  do  was  to  press  boldly  on,  especially  as  they 
were  not  ignorant  of  how  suddenly  the  Elector  often 
changed  his  views  and  feelings.  Senkwitz,  therefore, 
began  by  saying : 

"  We  are,  all  of  us,  most  deeply  affected  at  the  dis- 
pleasure which  your  Electoral  Highness  appears  to 
show  toward  us.  Nevertheless,  the  consciousness  of  our 
faithfulness  and  devotion  inspires  us  with  the  courage 
to  say  a  word  in  our  justification.  Your  Electoral 
Highness  will  remember  that  your  court-chaplain  has 
already,  in  Frankfurt,  given  great  offence  to  the  Church 
by  his  so-called  "  Collegia  pietatis,"  and  that  he  thereby 
became  the  cause  of  like  public  offences  in  other  Ger- 
man cities,  such  as  Augsburg,  Ulm,  Schmalcalden, 
Meiningen,  Marburg,  and  many  others.     It  is,  as  the 


296  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

most  learned  theologians,  whom  I  have  consulted  in 
regard  to  it,  have  assured  and  explained  to  me,  a  very- 
bad  sign  if  the  church  permits  itself  to  be  split  up  into 
little  sects,  and  lets  these  pietists  entertain  the  idea  that 
their  private  meetings  in  houses  stand  higher  than  the 
public  service.  And  I  cannot  conceal  it  from  your 
Electoral  Highness,  that  such  pietistic  conventicles  are 
greatly  on  the  increase,  especially  in  Leipzig,  and  are 
the  cause  of  much  uneasy  apprehension.  To  this  is 
added  the  fact  that  these  people  are  fond  of  disregard- 
ing all  law  and  public  order,  refuse  obedience  to  those 
in  authority,  and,  in  a  measure,  pride  themselves  upon 
slighting  the  Electoral  authority  to  the  greater  glory 
of  God.  And  this  is  not  done  merely  by  students,  but 
by  citizens,  and  even  women,  who  hold,  especially  on 
Sundays,  suspicious  meetings,  under  the  pretext  of 
mutual  edification  and  the  promotion  of  true  Christi- 
anity. In  these  gatherings  they  explain  the  Scriptures 
to  suit  their  own  notions,  and  introduce  all  sorts  of 
novelties,  hitherto  not  customary  in  the  orthodox  Evan- 
gelical Church.  Of  all  this.  Dr.  Spener,  your  Elec- 
toral Highness'  Confessor,  is  the  cause;  he  it  is  who 
approves  of  all  this  disorder,  and  who,  in  his  gloomy 
misanthropic  disposition,  denounces  as  sinful  even  the 
most  innocent  enjoyments,  and  aims  at  nothing  less 
than  to  conceal  behind  the  word  of  God  his  ambitious 
love  of  power  over  ruler  and  subjects." 

"  You  are  very  eloquent,  Senkwitz,"  rejoined  the 
Elector,  coldly,  and  with  a  frowning  look.  "  Have  you 
considered  that  it  is  easier  to  impeach  than  to  acquit?" 

"Certainly,  my  gracious  master,"  replied  the  knight. 
"  I  have  long  desired  to  communicate  this  to  your  Elec- 


THE   WORK  OF  DEFAMATION.  297 

toral  Highness,  but  always  considered  my  so  doing  an 
act  of  too  much  boldness.  However,  yesterday's  letter 
inspired  me  with  courage  to  give  utterance,  even  at  the 
risk  of  incurring  your  displeasure — which  would,  of 
course,  make  me  in  the  highest  degree  miserable  and 
unhappy — to  that  which  engages  the  heart  and  mind 
of  almost  every  subject  of  your  Electoral  Highness." 

"Why  do  you  let  me  know  this  now  for  the  first 
time?"  demanded  John  George,  as  he  paced  thought- 
fully to  and  fro.  "A  faithful  servant  conceals  no  kind 
of  danger  and  evil  from  his  sovereign." 

"Pardon  me,  your  Electoral  Highness,"  replied 
Senkwitz,  with  more  boldness,  when  he  saw  that  he 
had  hit  upon  the  right  course  to  gain  his  end.  "  As 
long  as  only  people  of  the  lowest  grade  favored  this 
disorder,  the  whole  affair  appeared  to  me  of  but  little 
importance.  But  now,  when  even  the  nobility  of  the 
land  permit  themselves  to  be  drawn  into  it,  in  by  no 
means  inconsiderable  numbers  ;  now,  when  especially 
some  of  the  highest  officers  of  your  Electoral  High- 
ness"— 

"Hold!"  quickly  and  decidedly,  interrupted  John 
George.  "  You  go  further  than  you  have  license  to 
go."     And,  with  this,  a  dead  silence  ensued. 

After  the  Elector  had,  for  several  minutes,  walked 
to  and  fro  with  his  hands  crossed  upon  his  breast,  dur- 
ing which  time  the  countenances  of  the  courtiers  pres- 
ent expressed  emotions  alternating  between  fear  and 
hope  of  victory,  he  at  length  resumed  his  seat,  took  up 
Spener's  letter,  and  read  it  with  the  most  undivided 
attention.  When  he  had  finished  reading,  he  asked: 
"  Who  are  those  high  officers  to  whom  you  refer  ?" 
13* 


298  PHILIPP   JACOB  SPENER. 

"  I  have  learned,"  replied  Senkwitz,  "  that  Baron  von 
Seckendorf  and  Dr.  Spener  are  most  intimate  and 
devoted  friends." 

"  What  care  we  for  that  ?"  replied  the  Elector. 
"  Seckendorf  has,  since  the  commencement  of  our 
reign,  retired  from  public  life,  and  sustains  no  longer 
any  familiar  relation  to  us." 

"And  yet,"  continued  the  knight,  "if  your  Electoral 
Highness  will  permit  me  to  speak,  Herr  von  Secken- 
dorf takes  the  most  active  part  in  all  the  changes  Dr. 
Spener  undertakes  to  introduce  in  the  affairs  of  the 
church.  Your  Electoral  Highness  remembers  that 
Seckendorf  has  shown  himself  an  excellent  government 
counselor.  The  man  who  wrote  the  '  Government  of 
German  Princes,'  a  few  years  ago,  published  the  '  Gov- 
ernment of  the  Church ;'  and,  although  this  book  has 
been  professedly  written  with  a  view  to  the  welfare 
and  increase  of  our  Evangelical  Church,  it  is,  never- 
theless, designed,  as  among  others  Dr.  Carpzov,  of 
Leipzig,  has  explained  to  me,  to  promote  the  enlarge- 
ment of  spiritual  power.  Thus,  for  instance,  it  is  therein 
maintained  that  church  discipline  does  not  belong 
alone  to  the  higher  authorities,  but  to  the  whole 
church,  so  that  the  congregations  or  their  representa- 
tives are  not  to  be  excluded  from  the  exercise  of  this 
privilege.  But  now  it  is  greatly  in  the  power  of  the 
minister  to  control  the  congregation  confided  to  his 
care,  at  will,  under  the  pretext,  of  course,  of  acting 
according  to  the  word  of  God.  All  this  is  intimately 
connected  with  the  designs  of  the  pietists,  who,  in 
church  affairs,  reject  entirely  the  regulations  and  gov- 
ernment  of  secular   authorities.     And    I    have    been 


THE   WORK   OF  DEFAMATION. 


299 


credibly  assured  that  Dr.  Spener  has  been  urged  by 
the  Baron  von  Seckendorf,  who  has  already  some- 
where else  allowed  himself  to  express  an  unbecoming 
opinion  in  regard  to  your  military  glory,  to  employ  his 
vocation  as  Confessor  to  the  same  end." 

When  Herr  von  Senkwitz  ceased  speaking,  the 
Elector  regarded  him  with  a  piercing  and  inquiring 
look,  as  if  he  wanted  to  convince  himself,  from  the 
expression  of  his  features,  of  the  truth  of  what  he  had 
heard,  and  said :  "  With  what  evidence  do  you  prove 
your  allegation?" 

"  If  your  Electoral  Higlmess  will  permit  me  to  speak," 
here  interposed  Herr  von  Langendorf,  "  I  myself  have 
been  an  eye-  and  ear-witness  to  it.  When,  last  Autumn, 
your  Electoral  Grace  summoned  Dr.  Spener,  through 
me,  to  appear  in  your  cabinet,  I  overheard,  in  the  ante- 
chamber, whilst  awaiting  the  return  of  his  famulus,  the 
voice  of  Baron  von  Seckendorf;  after  which  the 
famulus,  whose  name  is  Rothner,  also  informed  me, 
upon  inquiry,  of  all  those  who  were  present,  so  that  I 
cannot  be  mistaken.  Afterwards  a  cousin  of  mine, 
Master  Nullenbrecher,  whose  name  I  took  the  liberty 
several  times  to  mention  to  your  Electoral  Highness, 
also  informed  me  of  what  formed  the  subject  of  the 
conversation  of  those  present:  he  having  heard  it  in  a 
family  where  Rothner  had  publicly  repeated  it." 

"Well,  and  what  was  the  subject?"  asked  the  Elec- 
tor, as  Langendorf  ceased  speaking. 

"  The  conversation  had  turned  upon  Dr.  Weller,  the 
former  chaplain  of  your  Electoral  Grace's  sainted 
father,"  replied  the  courtier,  "  and  it  was  mentioned 
how  he,  on  a  certain   occasion,   had,   in  a  very  bold 


300  PHILIP P  JACOB  SPENER. 

manner,  called  to  account  your  most  serene  father, 
upon  which,  it  is  said,  Herr  von  Seckendorf  advised 
and  encouraged  Dr.  Spener  to  do  the  same  with  your 
Electoral  Highness :  which  he  did  a  few  hours  after. 
This  happened,"  he  added,  with  ill-concealed  malevo- 
lence, "  on  the  day  when  your  Electoral  Highness  was 
pleased  to  stop  the  preparations  in  progress  for  the 
theatrical  performance  and  ball." 

John  George  drew  down  his  brow,  and  over  his 
countenance  passed  a  {qxn  rapid  flashes,  as  if  some 
doubt  had  suddenly  been  cleared  up.  "  There  is  cer- 
tainly a  coincidence  in  this,"  muttered  he  to  himself 
"  Spener  said  to  me  a  great  deal  about  useless  military 
glory,  for  which  I  was  not  displeased  with  him ;  but 
could  he  really  have  acted  in  the  service  of  another  ?" 
"  Well !"  he  continued  in  an  audible  and  inviting  tone. 

"  I  am  sorry,"  now  resumed  Senkwitz,  "  that  I  am 
obliged,  even  at  the  risk  of  incurring  the  displeasure 
of  my  supremely  reverend  Elector,  to  mention  the 
name  of  Griinrode.  All  of  us,  who,  with  the  most 
unfeigned  reverence,  are  the  most  faithful  and  obedient 
servants  of  your  Electoral  Highness,  and  much  more 
solicitous  for  your  serene  Grace's  prosperity  and 
renown  than  our  own  welfare, — could,  yesterday, 
scarcely  restrain  our  deepest  indignation,  when  Herr 
Griinrode,  relying,  perhaps,  upon  the  great  favor  which 
he  has,  at  all  times,  so  abundantly  enjoyed  at  the 
hands  of  your  Electoral  Highness,  forgot,  in  his  piet- 
istical  zeal,  that  respect  which  he  owes  to  his  most 
gracious  sovereign." 

"You  are  too  severe,  Senkwitz,"  reprovingly  said 
the  Elector,  with  a  mixture  of  mildness  and  ill-humor 


THE   WORK  OF  DEFAMATION.  ^qI 

in  his  tone.  "Griinrode  is  the  oldest  servant  of  our 
house,  and  was  a  faithful  and  esteemed  counselor  to 
our  sainted  father,  even  before  we  were  born.  And 
though  his  remarks  may  not  always  be  in  harmony 
with  that  respect  which  he  owes  us,  his  parental  love 
to  us  fully  atones  for  his  pardonable  deficiency." 

"  Certainly,  my  most  gracious  Elector  and  sover- 
eign," added  Senkwitz.  "  Moreover,  the  high  favor 
which  Herr  Griinrode  enjoys  should  incite  us  to  the 
most  active  emulation,  so  as  to  become  more  worthy 
of  it  ourselves,  did  not  another  circumstance  permit  it 
to  be  viewed  from  a  different  point  of  view." 

"And  what  is  that  ?"  asked  John  George,  in  a  quick 
and  angry  tone. 

"  Griinrode,"  continued  the  accuser,  "  is  the  confi- 
dential friend  of  the  court-chaplain ;  and  it  is  said  that 
he  had,  only  day  before  yesterday,  the  day  prior  to 
that  of  humiliation  and  prayer,  a  protracted  interview 
with  him.  On  what  subject  is,  of  course,  not  known 
to  us;  yet  Spener's  letter  of  yesterday,  and  Herr 
Griinrode's  remarks  to-day,  seem  to  afford  a  clue  to 
the  subject  of  their  consultation." 

This  last  touched  the  heart  of  the  Elector  more 
deeply  than  anything  that  had,  as  yet,  been  said.  He, 
himself,  had  before  entertained  a  suspicion  that  Griin- 
rode and  Spener  had  mutually  conspired  to  preach  a 
penitential  sermon  to  him ;  and  this  preconcerted 
assault  by  two  men,  of  whom  the  one  presumed  on  his 
age,  and  the  other  on  his  office,  wounded  his  self- 
respect,  and  undermined  at  once  that  better  self- 
knowledge  which  had  begun  to  arouse  his  pride.  "Am 
I,  then,  really  such  a  great  sinner,"  he  said  to  himself, 


302  PHILIPP  JACOB   SPENER. 

"  SO  exceedingly  wicked,  that  I  am  on  the  way  to 
destruction  ?" 

As  the  Elector,  lost  in  his  own  thoughts,  and  with 
an  angry  and  gloomy  countenance,  was  pacing  to  and 
fro,  while  a  dead  silence  had  reigned  for  several 
moments,  Bennewitz,  considering  the  time  propitious, 
began  by  saying:  "I  am  exceedingly  sorry  that  in 
making  these,  perhaps  improper,  communications,  we 
are  in  danger  of  exposing  ourselves  to  the  suspicion 
of  being  envious  of  Herr  von  Griinrode,  whom  we  all 
otherwise  sincerely  respect,  on  account  of  the  extraor- 
dinary favor  with  which  he  is  regarded  by  your  Elec- 
toral Highness.  Nevertheless,  the  most  submissive 
love  which  we  cherish  for  our  most  gracious  master, 
inspires  us  with  the  courage  of  giving  utterance  to 
what  has,  for  a  length  of  time,  oppressed  us.  And,  in 
doing  this,  we  are  greatly  pained  at  not  being  able  to 
find  an  apology  for  him,  notwithstanding  all  our  efforts 
to  do  so.  Herr  von  Griinrode  left  Moritzburg  yester- 
day with  your  Electoral  Highness'  permission,  and 
went  to  Dresden,  ostensibly,  as  he  himself  informed  us, 
to  attend  church.  But  we  are  greatly  tempted  to 
believe  that  Dr.  Spener  was  very  much  concerned  to 
learn,  as  soon  as  possible,  and  that,  too,  from  the  most 
reliable  source,  what  impression  his  bold  and  uncalled- 
for  letter  had  made  on  the  mind  of  your  Electoral 
Highness.  And  to  conceal  nothing  of  what  I,  upon 
good  grounds,  am  justified  in  believing,  no  one  could 
well  make  a  better  and  more  desirable  report  than  he 
who  has  been  the  prime  mover  in  the  affair." 

Again  a  deep  silence  ensued,  during  which  John 
George,  pondering,  paced  to  and  fro.     At  length  he 


THE   WORK  OF  DEFAMATION. 


303 


made  a  sign  with  his  hand  to  his  courtiers,  who 
instantly,  and  with  the  profoundest  respect,  left  the 
cabinet,  rejoicing  in  their  victory. 

In  the  ante-chamber  Herr  von  Langendorf  remarked 
to  the  other  courtiers  :  "  The  reverend  court-chaplain 
will,  I  think,  no  more  interrupt  theatrical  performances 
and  balls." 


CHAPTER    XVII. 


THE    FIRST   EFFECTS. 


"  And  ye  shall  be  hated  of  all  men  for  My  name's  sake.  But  there 
shall  not  a  hair  of  your  head  perish.  In  your  patience  possess  ye 
your  souls!" — Luke  xxi.  17-19. 

ON  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day  during  which  the 
events,  related  in  our  last  chapter,  transpired  at 
Moritzburg,  Franke  entered  the  study  of  Dr.  Spener, 
and  said :  "  My  most  reverend  Doctor,  envy  is  a  very 
despicable  vice;  but,  if  at  all  excusable  in  any  one,  it 
is  in  him  who  envies  you  the  good  you  accomplish 
by  your  preaching.  Dear  man  of  God,  you  cannot 
estimate  the  high  regard  in  which  you  are  held,  both 
by  high  and  low,  in  this  city.  Wherever  one  goes, 
one  hears  people  talk  about  your  sermon  of  yesterday; 
and  I  have  found  quite  a  number  who  were  able  to 
repeat  whole  passages  from  it,  word  for  word,  equally 
as  well  as  I  can  do  it  myself  What  a  blessing  you 
are  to  this  city  !" 

Spener  turned  to  his  young  friend  with  a  pained 
look,  and  said :  "  I  ?  My  dear  friend,  never  have  I  been 
more  dissatisfied  with  myself,  as  regards  the  result  of 
my  labors  for  the  cause  of  our  Lord,  than  this  very 
day.  Wherever  I  look,  I  see  only  fragments  and 
imperfection,  the  will  but  not  the  performance ;  often, 
indeed,  a  good  beginning,  but  no  end.  Whatever  I 
may  have  done,  and  however  good  it  may  seem,  I  yet 
should,  nay,  could,  have  done  still  better.     Believe  me, 

(304) 


THE   FIRST  EFFECTS. 


505 


dear  friend,  nothing  is  more  painful  to  the  Christian 
than  to  be  found  unfaithful,  weak  and  desponding,  in 
the  service  of  the  Lord." 

"This  is,  indeed,  a  painful  truth,"  said  Franke,  "and 
a  confession  which  even  the  best  among  Christians 
must  daily  make.  But,  my  dearest  friend,  how  does  it 
come  that  you  are  more  than  ever  alive  to  this  feeling, 
on  the  very  day  on  which  I  have  met  with  so  many 
cheering  evidences  of  your  efficiency  ?  Pardon  me 
the  question,  but  has  anything  specially  disagreeable 
happened  to  you  ?" 

"  No,"  replied  the  court-chaplain ;  "  and  I  might 
almost  say,  '  unfortunately,  not  yet.'  For  when  I  only 
once  know  the  nature  of  the  evil  which  I  have  to  bear, 
my  courage  increases,  and,  with  God's  gracious  assist- 
ance, I  have  thus  far  borne  everything.  But  it  is  just 
this  uncertainty,  this  doubtful,  unaccountable  appre- 
hension that  God  may,  somewhere,  have  prepared  a 
new  cross  for  me,  which  unmans  and  makes  me 
melancholy.  And  even  this  despondency  is  to  me  a 
source  of  great  pain,  because  I  cannot  but  look  upon  it 
as  unchristian.  I  do  not  know  why  I  cannot  dismiss 
to-day  from  my  mind  an  incident  which  happened  to 
me  about  thirty  years  ago." 

"May  I  ask  you  to  communicate  it  to  me?"  asked 
Franke. 

"  Willingly,"  replied  Spener  "  Perhaps  this  may 
contribute  somewhat  towards  making  me  more  calm. 
I  had  always  entertained  a  great  dread  of  special 
pastoral  duties,  because  I  regard  it  as  the  most  im- 
portant and  difficult  task,  to  minister  to  the  spiritual 
wants  of  an  individual,  especially  in  sickness.     It  was, 


3o6  PHIL  IP P  JACOB  SPENER 

therefore,  my  ardent  desire,  that  God  might  relieve  me 
from  such  labors,  and  assign  me  a  position  in  the 
Christian  ministry,  in  which  I  might  have  work,  in- 
deed, but  none  of  these  cares  and  responsibilities. 
This  I  did,  I  assure  you,  not  because  I  dreaded  the 
work,  or  because  I  was  afraid  of  contagious  disease; 
for,  whilst  I  officiated  in  Frankfurt,  where  dangerous 
and  contagious  diseases  had  infected  entire  families,  I 
visited  a  great  many  of  the  sick  in  their  houses,  and  at 
their  bed-side  administered  the  Holy  Supper,  and 
spoke  words  of  consolation  and  encouragement  to 
them ;  but  it  was  owing  to  a  great  want  of  confidence 
in  my  own  ability  and  fitness,  and  a  dread  of  the  great 
responsibility  which  the  minister  assumes  through  a 
sorrowing  soul  confiding  itself  to  his  care  for  deliver- 
ance. Now  it  happened,  in  the  year  1662,  when  I  was 
at  Tubingen,  that  I  received,  through  the  interposition 
of  some  friends,  a  call  to  a  vacant  congregation  in 
Strasburg,  with  which  pastoral  duties  were  not  only 
connected,  but  were  fraught  with  greater  difficulties 
than  was  the  case  in  any  of  the  other  congregations  in 
that  city.  Here,  then,  was  a  severe  struggle.  On  the 
one  hand  was  the  longing  for  freedom  in  my  labors, 
and  dread  of  the  great  responsibility,  which  appeared 
to  me  too  heavy  a  burden  to  a  man  of  my  age,  I  being 
only  twenty-seven  at  that  time;  on  the  other  hand,  I 
had  to  consider,  that  this  call  had  come  to  me  without 
any  desire  or  seeking  on  my  part,  and  that  it  might, 
after  all,  be  the  Lord's  doing,  and  that  the  call  to  that 
charge  emanated  from  Him.  Hence,  the  more  oppo- 
sition I  felt  in  my  mind,  the  more  I  feared  that  flesh 
and  blood  refused  obedience  to  the  will  of  God,  merely 


THE  FIRST  EFFECTS. 


307 


on  account  of  the  hardness  of  the  labor.  In  this  state 
of  mental  anxiety,  I  despatched  an  express  to  my  dear 
sainted  brother-in  law,  Rev.  Joachim  Stoll,  then  court- 
chaplain  in  my  native  place,  Rappoltsweiler,  who, 
being  twenty  years  my  senior,  had  always  acted  like  a 
father  to  me,  and  in  whose  judgment  and  advice  I 
placed  more  confidence  than  in  that  of  any  other, 
requesting  him  to  relieve  me  of  my  anxiety.  He  sent 
me  word,  that  it  was  evident  that  the  hand  of  God  was 
in  this  whole  matter,  and  that  I  should,  therefore,  not 
refuse  compliance.  Then  it  was  that  God,  by  His 
grace,  enabled  me  to  overcome  my  aversion  and  fears, 
by  accepting  the  call,  and  soon  after  moving  to  Stras- 
burg.  Yet  every  thing  was,  notwithstanding,  to  turn 
out  differently  from  what  I  had  expected  and  believed 
myself  called  for.  For  when  the  duties  entering  into 
my  office  were  enumerated,  it  was  found  that  the  labor 
and  exertion  they  required  really  exceeded  my  phys- 
ical strength,  a  fact  which  the  president  of  the  Church 
council  himself  acknowledged.  In  consequence  of  this, 
my  honored  friends,  who  had  thus  far  acted  in  the 
matter,  felt  themselves  constrained  to  withdraw  their 
request,  and  thus  the  whole  affair  fell  through,  and 
some  one  else  was  appointed  to  the  charge." 

"This  was  a  singular  trial,"  here  remarked  Franke, 
as  Spener  paused,  and  appeared  lost  in  deep  thought, 

"The  Lord  wanted,  evidently,  to  try  my  obedience," 
resumed  Spener,  after  awhile;  whilst,  as  was  his  custom, 
he  began  to  pace  to  and  fro.  "  And  much  more  than 
this.  For,  on  my  return  to  the  university  at  Tubingen, 
where  my  rejection  had  become  known  throughout 
the   city,  I  had   to    undergo   some   disgrace,  because 


3o8  PHIL  IP P  JACOB   SPENER. 

such  things  are  readily  misinterpreted.  However,  I 
looked  upon  it  as  a  design,  on  the  part  of  God,  to  try 
me,  whether  I  was  prepared,  in  obedience  to  His  will, 
to  change  my  mind;  and  that,  after  the  good  and 
gracious  God  had  found  me  sincerely  willing  to  obey 
Him,  He  again  set  me  free." 

"According  to  this,  then,  you  did  not  remain  in 
Strasburg?"  asked  Franke.  "I  have  been  assured 
that  you  had,  for  several  years,  conducted  the  office 
of  a  minister  in  that  city." 

"  So  did  I !"  replied  the  court-chaplain.  "  God 
intended  to  show  me,  in  this.  His  providence  in  the 
most  striking  manner.  For,  during  the  year  following, 
I  was,  at  the  instance  of  these  same  friends,  and  with- 
out any  personal  effort  on  my  part,  called  to  another 
charge  in  Strasburg,  and  that,  moreover,  to  just  such 
a  one  as  I  desired,  one  in  which  I  was  altogether 
relieved  from  all  special  pastoral  duties.  It  is  true 
that  the  salary  it  brought  me  was  so  small,  that  I  was 
obliged  to  maintain  myself  principally  by  delivering 
lectures  on  theology,  for  which  reason  I  was  obliged  to 
have  myself  created  Doctor  of  Divinity.  Nevertheless, 
I  was  pleased  with  my  situation.  I  was,  however,  per- 
mitted to  enjoy  it  only  for  three  years.  During  the 
time  of  my  stay  and  labors  in  Strasburg,  it  also  hap- 
pened that  I,  mainly  in  obedience  to  the  urgent  wishes 
of  my  good,  sainted  mother,  united  myself  in  marriage 
with  my  beloved  wife  of  the  same  city.  Oh,  what 
great  and  wonderful  things  has  the  Lord,  since  then, 
done  for  me !  Lord,"  he  added,  whilst  laying  his 
folded  hands  upon  his  breast,  "  who  am  I,  O  Lord 
God,  and  what  is  my  house,  that  Thou  hast  brought 
me  hither  ?" 


THE   FIRST  EFFECTS. 


309 


"Will  you  not  tell  me,"  began  Franke,  after  a  time 
of  deep  silence,  during  which  Spener  seemed  engaged 
in  mental  prayer;  "will  you  not  tell  me,  dear  doctor, 
how  your  removal  to  Frankfurt,  the  place  where  your 
labors  for  the  promotion  of  true  Christianity  bore  their 
first  glorious  fruits,  was  brought  about  ?" 

"  In  the  beginning  of  the  year  1666,"  began  Spener, 
obligingly,  "the  honorable  Philip  Schultze,  of  Frank- 
furt, counselor  of  the  ten  united  cities  of  Alsace,  and 
afterwards  imperial  aulic  counselor,  unexpectedly  and 
without  any  desire  on  my  part,  addressed  me  in  the 
name  of  the  magistracy  of  that  city,  on  the  subject  of 
taking  charge  of  the  very  important  and  laborious 
position  of  senior  of  the  ministerium.  I  replied  to  him 
that  his  proposal  had  caused  me,  who  desired  any- 
thing but  such  an  important  office,  not  a  little  uneasi- 
ness, and  that  I,  being  convinced  of  my  inability,  could 
not,  for  the  moment,  accept  of  it,  or,  at  least,  not  until 
I  felt  convinced  that  the  call  came  from  God.  I  also 
frankly  expressed  my  doubts  as  to  my  possessing  the 
requisite  amount  of  learning  for  such  a  position,  as  well 
as  the  necessary  pastoral  experience,  in  the  acquire- 
ment of  which  my  position,  simply  as  preacher,  had 
afforded  me  no  opportunity,  and  that  I  had,  besides, 
repeatedly  promised  to  the  magistracy  of  Strasburg, 
that  I  would  never,  of  my  own  accord,  seek  another 
charge,  and  that,  consequently,  the  final  determination 
of  this  matter  must  be  submitted  to  my  superiors.  In 
answer  to  this  letter,  the  same  Philip  Schultze,  about 
two  weeks  afterwards,  informed  me  that  the  magistracy, 
notwithstanding  my  objections,  abided  by  their  re- 
quest; and,  also,  that  what  I  had  mentioned  in  regard 


3IO  PHILIPP   JACOB   SPENER. 

to  the  magistracy  of  Strasburg,  would  soon  be  disposed 
of.  This  was  done ;  and,  being  forced  to  regard  the 
call,  in  every  respect,  as  coming  from  God,  and  having, 
besides,  my  conscientious  scruples  removed,  I,  after  a 
few  months,  ventured,  in  the  name  of  God,  to  take  the 
place  of  the  faithful  and  sainted  pastor  and  senior, 
Christian  Gerlach.  And  thus  was  I,  who  stood  so 
much  in  dread  of  special  pastoral  cares,  placed  in  just 
such  a  charge  in  which  these  cares  were  unusually 
great,  till,  after  the  lapse  of  twenty  years,  it  pleased  the 
Lord  to  call  me  to  this  post,  where  my  cares  and  labors 
are  still  greater,  but  where  the  blessing  of  God  does 
not  seem  to  attend  my  efforts  in  a  corresponding  de- 
gree." 

"  Do  you  not  think  you  are  mistaken  in  this,  my 
dear  friend?"  suggested  Franke.  "I  have  abundant  evi- 
dence that  your  labors  here  have  been  attended  with 
success." 

Spener  gave  a  sad  smile,  and  replied  :  "  Here,  where 
I  have  more  immediately  been  called,  my  labors  have 
borne  but  little  fruit.  During  the  present  year,  of  which 
two  months  have  not  yet  elapsed,  the  Elector  has 
already  been  twice  absent  from  divine  service.  Yester- 
day's day  of  humiliation  and  prayer  I  dare  not  even 
take  into  the  account,  for  on  such  general  occasions  he 
never  comes  to  church  at  all." 

"  So  much  the  more  diligent  is  the  Electress  in  her 
attendance,"  observed  Franke.  "  That  noble  and  pious 
woman  listened  yesterday  to  your  sermon  with  unusual 
attentiveness.  Her  eyes  were  fixed  on  your  lips  as  if 
her  heart  longed  to  feel  your  words  even  before  you 
gave  them  utterance.     I  noticed  her  more  especially, 


THE   FIRST  EFFECTS. 


311 


during  those  passages  in  which  you  so  beautifully  de- 
scribed the  sense  of  unmerited  grace  which  ought  to 
be  cherished  even  by  the  best  of  men,  engaged  in 
repeatedly  wiping  her  eyes,  whilst  her  whole  counte- 
nance indicated  the  sincerest  devotion." 

"  She  is,"  said  the  court-chaplain,  "  the  very  picture 
of  her  truly  royal  sister,  the  queen  of  Sweden,  whose 
letters,  with  which  she  favors  me,  always  afford  me 
consolation  and  peace,  of  which  I  stand  more  frequently 
in  need,  my  friend,  than  you  imagine.  Thus  I  feel 
greatly  cast-down  to-day;  I  have  received  no  informa- 
tion as  to  the  reception  of  my  letter  to  His  Electoral 
Highness ;  and,  unless  a  certain  presentiment  deceives 
me,  the  Lord  holds  a  new  cross  in  reserve  for  me." 

And  as  if  this  presentiment  was  instantly  to  come 
true,  the  door  opened,  and  the  famulus,  Mr.  Rothner, 
entered  and  handed  the  court-chaplain  an  unusually 
large  letter.  Spener  seized  it  hastily,  anxiously  ex- 
amined the  address  and  seal,  and  said,  in  an  agitated 
voice  :  "  May  the  Lord  overrule  all  for  good  !  This  is 
the  Elector's  own  hand- writing.  Who  brought  the 
letter,  dear  Rothner  ?" 

"Herr  von  Langendorf  has  just  now  handed  it  to 
me,"  replied  the  famulus,  "  And  though  he  charged 
me  three  times  to  deliver  the  letter  safe  into  your 
hands,  he  was,  nevertheless,  unwilling  to  comply  with 
my  request,  and  deliver  it  to  you  in  person.  He  also 
addressed  me  with  a  smile  which  did  not  appear  to 
proceed  from  a  kind  heart." 

"  What  can  this  mean  ?"  exclaimed  Franke,  after  the 
famulus  had  withdrawn,  and  whilst  the  court-chaplain 
musingly  contemplated  the  letter.     "You  seem  to  ap- 


312  PHILIP P  JACOB  SPENER. 

prehend  some  evil,"  he  added.  "  Your  hand  trembles  ! 
Do  you  wish  to  be  left  alone  ?" 

"  No,  no,  dear  Franke !"  hastily  replied  Spener,  in 
an  anxious  tone.  "  Stay,  I  pray  you.  I  am,  indeed, 
with  regard  to  this,  not  conscious  of  any  evil,  yet  my 
heart  beats  with  uneasy  apprehension.  I  wonder  what 
this  letter  of  our  gracious  sovereign  may  contain  ?" 

"  Do  not  fear  to  open  it !"  said  Franke,  soothingly. 
"  Is  not  the  comforting  conviction  of  having  a  good 
conscience  enough  to  inspire  you  with  courage  ? 
Besides,  it  is  possible  that  the  letter  may  contain 
something  very  agreeable  to  you." 

Spener  shook  his  head  doubtingly;  he  was  just  in 
the  act  of  opening  the  letter  when  he  suddenly  turned 
to  his  companion  with  the  question :  "  Do  you  know 
whether  the  Elector  has  returned  from  Moritzburg,  or 
whether  he  is,  at  least,  expected  to-day?" 

"I  have,  indeed,  heard,"  replied  Franke,  "that  the 
Elector  intends  to  prolong  his  stay  for  a  few  days 
at  Moritzburg,  and  will,  consequently  not  attend  your 
preaching  to-morrow." 

"  My  fears  do  not  deceive  me,"  remarked  the  court- 
chaplain  in  a  tone  of  painful  sadness.  "  In  God's  name 
be  it  so !"  And  as  he  here  hastily  opened  the  letter, 
something  enclosed  fell  to  the  floor,  which  Franke 
quickly  picked  up  and  handed  to  the  doctor.  "  Ah 
me !"  exclaimed  Spener,  when  he  had  looked  at  the 
paper,  "this  is  my  own  letter." 

And,  as  if  seeking  protection  and  rest,  Spener  sunk 
into  his  chair,  holding  the  open  letter  of  the  Elector 
in  his  hand  without  reading  it.  Franke  was  deeply 
affected  by  the  painful  surprise  of  his  friend,  and  not 


THE  FIRST  EFFECTS.  jl^ 

knowing  what  to  say  or  do,  thought  it  best  silently  to 
withdraw,  whilst  Spener  seemed  altogether  absorbed 
in  his  own  thoughts.  He,  however,  noticed  it,  and 
called  after  him :  "  Stay  with  me,  dear  friend !  God 
knows  I  do  not  ask  this  from  any  fear  of  man,  for 
since  I  know  what  I  have  to  expect,  all  anxiety  has 
left  my  mind.  But  should  I  be  found  guilty,  you  shall 
be  witness  to  it." 

Franke  turned  back,  and  regarded  the  court- chaplain 
with  a  look  of  doubt,  as  if  he  did  not  comprehend  the 
meaning  of  his  last  remark.  Spener  now  continued, 
as  if  in  explanation:  "The  Christian  minister  knows 
of  no  more  beautiful  reward  for  his  exertions  and 
labors  than  the  acknowledgment  on  the  part  of  a 
fellow  being  that  he  has  saved  his  soul.  This  is  the 
highest,  and,  indeed,  the  only  reward  for  all  Christian 
activity ;  for  this  consists  in  nothing  more  than  in  the 
most  zealous  and  indefatigable  endeavors  to  save  the 
souls  confided  to  him.  If  the  conviction  should  once 
force  itself  upon  my  mind  that  I  could  no  longer, 
either  by  preaching  or  teaching,  affect  the  hearts  of 
any,  or  bring  the  erring  back  to  the  right  way,  or  give 
rest  to  the  doubting,  or  speak  peace  to  the  heavy- 
laden,  my  heart  would  break  with  grief.  For  then  I 
must  either  assume  that  the  word  of  God  was  no 
longer  strong  and  powerful  like  a  two-edged  sword 
to  discern  the  thoughts  and  intents  of  the  heart,  or  I 
would  have  to  believe  that  I  was  altogether  an  un- 
worthy servant  of  the  Lord,  who  is  only  unable  to 
impart  anything  to  others  because  he  has  nothing  him- 
self. And  I  know  not  in  which  instance  I  should  be 
most  sorrowful  and  unhappy." 
14 


214  PHILIPP  JACOB   SPENER. 

" Might  there  not  be  a  third  view?"  asked  Franke, 
with  the  deepest  concern. 

"Hardly!"  replied  Spener.  "  For  if  it  be  true  that 
there  is  a  way  of  access  to  every  heart,  by  which  the 
word  of  God  may  enter,  it  appears  to  me  to  be  more 
especially  the  proper  task  of  the  minister  to  make 
himself,  first  of  all,  acquainted  with  the  human  heart, 
so  that  he  may  give  to  every  one  just  what  he  most 
stands  in  need  of  Much  of  the  zeal  expended  for  the 
promotion  of  that  which  is  good,  and  many  efforts 
made  to  bring  back  the  erring  to  the  right  way,  prove 
abortive,  only,  because  the  proper  course  has  not 
been  adopted.  Herein  the  example  of  the  Apostle 
Paul  should  especially  be  followed  by  ministers, 
namely,  with  the  interpretation  to  be  all  things  to  all 
men,  and  not  give  meat  where  it  would  be  better  to 
give  milk.  Now,  suppose  I  had  given  meat  instead  of 
milk?" 

Here  he  ceased  and  relapsed  into  silent  reflection,  in 
which,  as  Spener  did  not  appear  to  expect  an  answer, 
Franke  did  not  interrupt  him.  Then  he  took  up  the 
letter  and  began  to  read.  At  first  his  countenance 
betrayed  no  sign  of  unusual  mental  agitation ;  soon, 
however,  he  quickly  raised  his  head,  opened  his  eyes 
wide,  and,  in  token  of  the  deepest  sorrow,  clapped  his 
hands  to  his  knees.  Then  he  arose,  and  paced  uneasily 
to  and  fro. 

"  This  I  had  not  expected !"  he  at  length  exclaimed, 
in  deep  pain. 

"  Does  the  letter  contain  harsh  language  ?"  asked 
Franke,  in  a  tone  expressing  concern. 

"  No !"  replied  Spener.     "  Thanks  to  God,  that  He 


THE   FIRST  EFFECTS. 


3IS 


has  so  controlled  the  Elector's  pen  and  hand,  that  he 
has  employed  no  harsh  language  against  me.  Painful 
to  me  is  the  threat,  that  he  will  never  hear  me  again; 
but  most  painful  of  all  the  circumstance,  that  he  sus- 
pects some  innocent  individuals  of  having  informed 
me  of  some  things  of  which  I  made  mention  in  my 
letter,  and  that  he,  in  consequence,  threatens  them  with 
severe  displeasure." 

"Is  it  possible!"  exclaimed  Franke.  "You  had 
not,  surely,  been  requested  by  any  one  to  w^rite  it  ?" 

"God  is  my  witness!"  replied  Spener.  "I  had 
only  considered  and  determined  this  matter  in  the  pro- 
foundest  secrecy  of  my  heart,  and  experienced  a 
blessed  joy  when  I  had  finished  a  letter  -which  my 
calling,  my  conscience,  and  the  example  of  my  prede- 
cessors, constrained  me  to  write.  How  willingly  will  I 
bear  all  displeasure!  But  I  can  never  endure  that 
the  innocent  should  suffer  on  my  account.  Leave  me 
alone  now,  dear  Franke  ;  I  will,  I  must  take  counsel  of 
my  God,  as  to  what  may  be  best  for  me  to  do." 

Franke  immediately  withdrew,  while  Spener  having 
locked  the  door,  fell  upon  his  knees  to  engage  in 
prayer. 

A  few  days  after  this  occurrence,  nearly  at  the  close 
of  February,  Franke  entered  a  second  time  the  study 
of  the  court -chaplain.  "  You  are  then  determined  to 
take  your  departure  ?"  Spener  called  out  to  him. 

"Alas  !"  replied  Franke,  "  in  a  few  hours  the  stage 
leaves  for  Leipzig.  As  willingly  as  I  go  there,  and  as 
impatiently  as  I  desire  to  enter  upon  my  labors,  so 
rtiuch  does  it  pain  me  that  I  must  there  forego  that 
kind  consolation  and  instruction  with  which  you,  dear 


3i6  PHILIP P  JACOB   SPENER. 

Doctor,  have  favored  and  encouraged  me.  I  regard  the 
two  months  which  you  have  permitted  me  to  spend 
in  your  house  and  at  your  side,  as  a  divinely  appointed 
period  of  the  situation  which  awaits  me.  God  grant 
that  the  trouble,  which  seems  to  have  come  upon  you, 
may  soon  and  happily  pass  away.  It  at  least  appears 
that  the  Elector,  in  not  writing  any  thing  against  you 
personally,  has  again  changed  his  mind  in  your  favor." 

"  Do  not  hope  too  soon !"  suggested  the  court- 
chaplain,  "  My  presentiment  tells  me  that  my  troubles 
are  only  just  beginning.  God  is  my  witness  that,  as 
for  myself,  I  bow  willingly  and  submissively  to  His 
will.  For  it  is  His  honor  and  not  mine  that  I  seek. 
In  doing  what  I  did,  I  have  only  discharged  my  duty. 
That  which  pains  me  most  is,  that  others  should  be 
made  to  suffer  on  my  account.  I  am  very  anxious  to 
save  these  gentlemen  from  such  a  heavy  suspicion  and 
the  displeasure  with  which  they  are  threatened.  I  have 
therefore — but  why  should  I  conceal  it  from  you  ? — but 
a  short  time  since,  despatched  my  famulus  with  a  letter 
to  His  Electoral  Highness,  who  returned  this  morning 
from  Moritzburg.  Mr.  Rothner  has  not  yet  come  back, 
and  I  greatly  long  for  his  answer." 

"I  do  not  know,"  remarked  Franke,  "but,  in  reflect- 
ing upon  all  this,  the  thought  came  into  my  mind,  that 
that  day  of  humiliation  and  prayer  might  become  a 
second  31st  of  October,  of  the  year  1517.  You  know 
better  than  I,  my  dearest  friend,  what  important  ques- 
tions at  present  agitate  the  minds  of  men.  It  is  not, 
as  often  heretofore,  the  old  quarrel  between  knowledge 
and  faith,  but  rather  a  struggle  between  faith  and 
works.     Your  enemies  have  long  since  arrayed  them- 


THE   FIRST  EFFECTS. 


317 


selves  in  well  prepared  opposicion  against  you,  and 
are,  unfortunately,  led  on  by  the  ministers  themselves. 
But  put  on  the  breast-plate  of  righteousness ;  take  the 
helmet  of  salvation  and  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  which 
is  the  word  of  God.  Take  unto  you  the  whole  armor 
of  God,  that  you  may  be  able  to  withstand  in  the  evil 
day,  and,  having  done  all,  to  stand.  Methinks  you  are 
called  of  God  as  a  reformer  of  His  Church,  which  is 
languishing  in  the  fetters  of  a  dead  faith  in  the  letter. 
It  must  come  thus,  if  the  gospel  of  love  and  peace  is 
again  to  take  root  in  the  hearts  of  men." 

"As  a  reformer?"  quickly  repeated  the  court-chap- 
lain, while  a  sorrowful  smile  overshadowed  his  coun- 
tenance. "  No,  my  dear  Franke,  I  am  not  so  foolish 
as  to  set  myself  up  as  a  reformer.  I  am  too  well 
aware  of  my  weakness,  and  too  fully  convinced  that  I 
possess  neither  the  talents  nor  the  ability.  It  suffices 
me  to  belong  to  those  voices  who  assist  in  arousing 
to  the  work  of  reformation  those  whom  God  has  fitted 
for  it.  And,  let  me  tell  you,  dear  Franke,  when  I  con- 
sider your  great  scholarship,  your  thorough  acquaint- 
ance with  the  holy  Scriptures,  and,  allow  me  to  say  it, 
your  unaffected  piety,  I  feel  inclined  to  regard  you  as 
one  of  those  whom  the  Lord  has  fitted  out  for  the 
purpose  of  becoming  the  reformers  of  His  Church." 

"Do  you  not  entertain  too  humble  an  opinion  of 
yourself?"  asked  Franke,  whilst  a  deep  blush  over- 
spread his  countenance,  and  as  if  he  thought  by  this 
question  to  turn  away  attention  from  himself 

"  One  cannot,"  replied  the  court-chaplain,  "  put  too 
low  an  estimate  upon  his  own  talents  and  abilities,  so 
as  not  to  deceive  himself  and  others  by  it.     If  God  had 


2i8  PHILIP P  JACOB  SPENER. 

given  me  the  ability  of  our  sainted  Martin  Luther,  how 
much  more  faithful  would  I  be  found  in  the  service  of 
my  Lord  than  I  have  hitherto  shown  myself  to  be. 
But  I  do  not  merely  want  the  necessary  talents  and 
ability  for  such  a  work,  but  also  the  natural  gifts.  You 
may  believe  me,  dear  Franke,  when  I  tell  you  with 
what  painful  feelings  I  observe  this  want  in  the  per- 
formance of  my  official  duties,  and  how  much  I  am 
ashamed  of  myself  for  not  being  able  to  overcome  it. 
Of  what  then  should  I  boast,  if  not  of  my  weakness  ?" 

"  You  are  an  humble  servant  of  the  Lord !"  replied 
Franke.  "But,  in  one  thing,  you  should  concede  to 
yourself  a  little  more  than  you  do ;  I  mean  in  your 
joy  in  believing,  which  gives  you  strength  to  endure 
and  to  suffer,  to  wrestle  and  to  conquer." 

"Alas,  how  much  you  are  mistaken  in  me,  my 
friend !"  continued  Spener.  "  It  is  just  this  power  of 
the  Spirit  from  above  which  I  lack.  And  I  find 
it  exceedingly  difficult,  notwithstanding  my  fervent 
prayers,  to  overcome,  even  in  small  things,  this  natural 
timidity.  I  would  sin  against  the  Lord  my  God,  were 
I  to  undertake  an  enterprise  which  calls  for  genuine 
heroic  courage.  And  if  I  were  to  tell  you  that  I 
entertained,  just  now,  no  fears  in  regard  to  myself,  I 
would  deceive  both  you  and  myself.  It  is  just  at  thi? 
time  that  my  fears  outweigh  my  hopes,  and  I  do  not 
at  all  regard  it  a  trifling  matter  to  have  lost  the  con- 
fidence of  my  Electoral  spiritual  son." 

"  Your  fears  are  too  extravagant,  my  dear  sir!"  said 
Franke.  "John  George,  has  always  shown  himself  a 
noble  man;  and,  if  what  I  have  heard  among  the 
people    be    true,  his    present    displeasure    is  only  the 


THE   FIRST  EFFECTS. 


319 


fruit  of  a  mean  and  malevolent  misrepresentation.  The 
noble  Prince  cannot  possibly  mistake  the  good  inten- 
tion which  you  had  in  writing  that  letter.  Besides,  I 
place  much  confidence  in  the  pious  and  kind  Electress, 
of  whom  you  know  that  she  regards  you  with  sincere 
respect  and  true  friendship." 

"  Do  not  deceive  yourself  with  your  extravagant 
hopes,"  replied  Spener.  "  My  enemies  are  too  many. 
If  God  does  not  come  to  my  aid,  I  have  not  much 
to  hope  for.  My  greatest  fears  concern  my  brethren 
in  the  ministry,  who  manifest  so  little  inclination  to 
become  my  fellow-laborers  in  the  vineyard  of  the 
Lord.  But  I  hear  steps  in  the  ante-chamber.  Is  it 
you,  dear  Rothner  ?"  he  said  to  the  approaching  famu- 
lus, with  a  trembling  voice.  "  What  success  have  you 
had  with  your  message  ?" 

"  I  have,  indeed,  safely  delivered  the  letter ;  but, 
pardon  me,  most  reverend  Doctor,  I  feel  as  if  I  had 
just  escaped  from  the  lion's  den." 

"  Have  you  seen  his  Electoral  Highness  in  person?" 
asked  Spener,  quickly. 

"  No,"  replied  the  famulus  ;  "  but  the  courtiers  and 
privy  counselors  treated  me  with  a  great  deal  of  un- 
kindness.  All  I  met  regarded  me  with  sullen  and 
contemptuous  looks.  Yea,  Herr  von  Langendorf, 
whom  I  met  in  the  ante-chamber,  even  refused  to  take 
the  letter  in  charge.  Then  came  the  noble  and  vener- 
able Herr  von  Griinrode,  who,  when  I  had  addressed 
myself  to  him,  and  stated  my  errand,  received  the  let- 
ter, and  was  about  to  take  it  to  his  Electoral  Highness, 
in  person,  whom,  in  consequence  of  indisposition,  he 
had   not,  as   I  understood,  attended  for  several  days, 


320  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

when  Herr  von  Langendorf  informed  him  that  he  had 
express  orders  from  his  Electoral  Highness  not  to 
admit  Herr  von  Griinrode  into  his  presence.  I  was 
terrified  and  could  have  wept  from  pure  grief,  when  I 
saw  that  noble  and  Christian  old  man  now  turning  to 
me  with  the  remark,  '  If  such  be  the  case,  I  am,  of 
course,  unable  to  serve  you.  However,  Herr  von 
Langendorf,  will  you  do  this  last  favor,  for  my  sake?' 
So  it  happened  that  the  knight,  though  with  a  sullen 
look,  took  the  letter  in  charge  ;  and,  as  I  was  passing 
out  through  the  large  gate,  I  heard  the  officer  of  the 
watch,  who  may  have  known  me,  say  to  some  other 
gentleman,  *  This  fellow  is  also  a  Spenerite.'  " 

Spener  paced  to  and  fro  in  great  agitation.  "  Did  I 
not  tell  you,"  he  said  to  Franke,  when  the  famulus  had 
left  the  room,  "the  time  of  trouble  is  only  beginning?" 

And  he  was  right.  Scarcely  had  Rothner  left  the 
room,  than  he  again  re-entered,  and  announced  one  of 
the  Elector's  privy  counselors.  And  before  the  court- 
chaplain  could  utter  a  word,  Herr  von  Senkwitz 
entered,  gave  a  hasty  salutation,  and  cast  an  inquiring 
look  towards  Franke.  After  Franke  had  retired  to 
the  adjoining  apartment,  and  Spener  was  alone  with 
the  privy  counselor,  von  Senkwitz  handed  the  court- 
chaplain  a  letter,  with  the  remark,  "His  Electoral 
Highness  has  sent  me  to  return  this,  your  letter,  and, 
as  you  perceive,  unopened.  His  Electoral  Highness 
desires  me,  in  addition,  to  say  to  you,  that  he  does  not 
wish  to  be  further  enlightened  by  any  more  letters  on 
the  subject  in  question." 

Spener's  countenance  assumed  a  look  of  deep  and 
painful  sadness,  as  he  answered,  "I  am,  in  duty,  bound 


THE    FIRST  EFFECTS. 


321 


to  render  all  due  obedience  to  my  most  gracious  sov- 
ereign, and  shall  submit  to  his  command,  however 
difficult  I,  in  consequence  of  my  office  and  calling, 
may  find  it.  Only  one  thing  I  beg  of  your  excellency, 
not  for  my  sake,  but  for  the  sake  of  the  truth — that 
you  will  do  what  may  lay  in  your  power  to  induce  his 
Electoral  Highness  to  be  graciously  pleased  only  to 
read  this  letter.  It  does  not  contain  anything  in  my 
own  defence,  but  is  simply  a  vindication  of  several 
gentlemen,  who  suffer  innocently  on  my  account." 

"  I  am  very  sorry,"  replied  the  privy  counselor, 
"that  it  is  out  of  my  power  to  comply  with  your 
request.  I  have  the  most  peremptory  orders  from  his 
Electoral  Highness  to  return  this  letter  to  you.  Fare- 
well !"     And,  with  this,  he  hastily  left  the  room. 

And  Spener?  He  cast  a  look  of  amazement  towards 
the  door,  through  which  the  privy  counselor  had  van- 
ished. Silent  as  death,  he  folded  his  hands ;  even  his 
lips  did  not  quiver.  "This  is  hard,"  he  at  length 
ejaculated,  and  seated  himself,  as  if  he  stood  in  need 
of  the  support  of  a  chair. 

Franke  again  entered.  A  look  at  the  unopened 
letter,  which  Spener  held  in  his  hand,  told  him  all  that 
had  happened. 

"  What  ails  you,  dear  sir  ?"  sympathizingly  inquired 
Franke.  But  Spener  remained  silent,  communing  ap- 
parently, with  himself.  "  Speak,  my  dearest  friend," 
continued  the  other.     "  My  anxiety  for  you  is  great," 

Spener  now  opened  his  eyes,  folded  his  hands,  and 
said,  in  a  soft  and  agitated  voice : 

"  When  human  help  seems  at  an  end. 
Then  God  a  helping  hand  doth  lend. 
14* 


322  PHILIP P  JACOB  SPENER. 

If  no  one  helps,  my  help  is  He, 

Who  from  my  sorrow  sets  me  free. 
Why  should  I  long  man's  favor  seek, 
Who  is,  at  best,  but  frail  and  weak  ? 

'Mongst  men  there  is  no  friend  to  find. 

Who  always  is  sincere  and  kind. 
Go,  make  the  Lord  thy  only  stay; 
He'll  all  thy  sorrows  take  away. 

Choose  Him  alone  to  be  thy  Friend, 

Who  with  His  help  is  e'er  at  hand. 
If  God  be  with  thee  as  thy  Friend, 
What  matters  all  thy  foes  intend  ? 

Ten  thousand  though  their  number  be. 

They  cannot  harm  one  hair  of  thee. 
Whatever  God  wills,  that  He  does. 
Though  the  whole  earth  should  Him  oppose. 

Then  let  Him  reign,  and  hold  thou  still. 

Bowing  submissive  to  His  will." 

When  Spener  paused,  and  again  cast  down  his  eyes, 
Franke  said,  "  Dear  sir,  how  I  envy  you  this  word  of 
consolation!" 

"Do  you  know,"  remarked  Spener,  while  the  joy  of 
faith  lighted  up  his  countenance  ;  "  do  you  know  who 
composed  this  hymn,  and  upon  what  occasion  ?  Shall 
I  inform  you?" 

Before  Franke  could  reply,  Spener  continued,  with 
quiet  earnestness,  "  It  is  now  about  a  century  ago,  that 
a  faithful  servant  of  the  word  of  God  was  banished, 
with  his  wife  and  child,  beyond  the  gates  of  Badeborn, 
because  his  conscience  did  not  permit  him  to  comply 
with  the  demands  of  his  sovereign  and  master.  Like 
a  rejected  messenger  of  the  Lord,  he  went  away  from 
his  house  and  hearth  into  an  uncertain  future.  He 
might  have  asked.  What  shall  we  eat,  or  what  shall  we 
drink,    or   wherewithal    shall    we    be    clothed?     But, 


THE   FIRST  EFFECTS.  ^23 

instead  of  this,  he  raised  his  heart  and  mind  to  heaven, 
and  sung: 

"  '  When  human  help  seems  at  an  end, 
Then  God  a  helping  hand  doth  lend.' 

The  name  of  the  sovereign  was  Joachim  Ernst,  Prince 
of  Anhalt,  and  that  of  the  exile  was  John  Arndt,  of 
Ballenstadt." 

"  How  came  you  to  think  of  this,  dearest  Doctor?" 
asked  Franke.  "Are  you  apprehensive  that  a  similar 
fate  awaits  you?" 

"The  Lord  is  wonderful  in  counsel,  and  excellent  in 
working,"  replied  Spener.  "I  am  prepared  for  any- 
thing, my  dear  friend.  What  is  to  be  feared  from  the 
displeasure  of  my  sovereign  is  not  difficult  to  divine. 
I  should  not  be  surprised  if  His  Electoral  Highness 
would  cause  my  dismissal  to  be  forwarded  to  me  this 
very  day." 

"  Why  do  you  at  once  suspect  the  worst?"  interposed 
Franke.  "Surely,  what  you  have  done  is  justifiable, 
both  in  the  sight  of  God  and  of  man.  And  then,  since 
you  yourself  have  thought  of  the  pious  John  Arndt, 
do  you  not  know  that,  soon  after,  when  he  was  wan- 
dering about  with  his  faithful  wife,  houseless  and  home- 
less, a  messenger  from  Mansfield  came  to  him,  and 
another  from  Quedlinburg,  in  both  of  which  cities 
they  wished  him  for  their  minister,  and  that,  in  Qued- 
linburg, he  found  consolation  and  rest*?" 

Spener  regarded  his  young  friend  with  a  sad  smile 
took  his  hand,  and  said :  "  My  good  Herr  Franke,  you 
do,  assuredly,  mean  it  well  with  me,  and  I  thank  you 
with  my  whole  heart  for  every  word  of  consolation  you 


324  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

utter;  and,  believe  me,  whatever  God  may  have  ap- 
pointed for  me,  I  bear  it  cheerfully  and  willingly ;  for  I 
know  that  I  stand  and  suffer  in  the  service  of  my 
Master.  And  now  I  perceive  that  the  time  of  your 
departure  has  come.  God  protect  you  !  Who  knows 
what  may  await  you  in  Leipzig?  We  part  in  very 
trying  times.  The  Lord  give  us  grace,  peace,  light 
and  strength  that  we  may  meet  again  as  those  who 
have  come  out  of  tribulation,  tried  as  gold  in  the  fire !" 

And  Franke  lay  in  the  arms  of  his  pious  friend,  and 
upon  both  rested  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  in  feelings  of 
unspeakable  blessedness. 

It  was  the  consecration  to  the  cross  that  awaited 
both. 


CHAPTER    XVIII 


CHURCH  AND   HOUSE. 


"  Let  the  word  of  Christ  dwell  in  you  richly  in  all  wisdom ;  teaching 
and  admonishing  one  another,  in  psalms  and  hymns,  and  spiritual 
songs,  singing  with  grace  in  your  hearts  to  the  Lord." — Col.  iii.  i6. 

A  FEW  months  after  the  last  vestige  of  that  severe 
winter  had  departed,  and  the  warmth  of  May- 
caused  the  ravages  of  January  to  be  forgotten,  we 
behold,  during  the  morning  hours  of  Wednesday,  a 
large  crowd,  composed  of  young  and  old,  rich  and 
poor,  citizens  and  nobles,  pouring  out  of  the  chapel 
of  the  widowed  Electress,  and  disappearing  along 
the  various  streets  which  diverged  from  the  Schloss- 
gasse  into  the  different  parts  of  the  city.  They  all 
came  from  Spener's  examina;  and  even  one  unaware 
of  it,  might  at  once  have  inferred,  judging  from  the 
cheerful,  happy  countenances  of  the  church-goers,  that 
they  had  drawn  peace  and  joy  from  the  fountain  of 
religious  instruction.  Some,  lost  in  the  remembrance 
of  what  they  had  heard,  pursued  their  way  in  silence. 
Others  conversed  earnestly  about  this  or  that  part  of 
the  biblical  explanation,  as  they  heard  it  from  the  lips 
of  Spener.  But  all  carried  the  word  of  God  away 
with  them,  as  seed  fallen  upon  good  ground,  and,  like 
Mary,  kept  the  words  in  their  hearts. 

Among  these  church-goers  we  notice  a  young  maiden, 
carrying  in  her  hand  a  Bible  provided  with  a  large 
silver  clasp  and  other  ornaments,  contrasting  strangely 

(325) 


226  FHILIFP  JACOB  SPENER. 

with  her  apparel,  which,  though  clean  and  neat,  did  not 
evince  a  condition  in  life  to  which  such  ornaments 
were  common.  Who  was  this  maiden  pursuing  her 
way,  whilst  meditating  on  the  word  of  the  Lord  ? 

We  notice,  too,  at  the  corner  of  the  Market,  where 
the  maiden  passed,  two  men  who,  judging  by  their 
mutual  greeting,  had  just  then  accidentally  met  there. 
They  too,  and  especially  one  of  them,  observed  the 
maiden.  "  Is  that  not  Miss  Guldenmeyer  ?"  asked  the 
one. 

"  It  seems  so,  my  highly  esteemed  cousin,"  replied 
the  other,  turning  rather  an  indifferent  look  towards 
the  passing  maiden  who,  in  the  simplicity  of  her  heart, 
and  engaged  with  other  thoughts,  had  not  even  noticed 
the  two  gentlemen. 

"And  you  say  this  with  an  air  of  indifference.  Sir 
Master?"  said  the  other.  "Does  not  such  a  sight 
remind  you  of  old  times,  and  does  it  not  touch  some 
tender  chord  in  your  heart  ?" 

"My  time  has  gone  by,  as  Isaiah  says,"  complained 
the  Master.  "I  did,  indeed,  think  I  might  welcome 
the  right  honorable  Herr  von  Langendorf  as  my  much 
beloved  cousin  at  Altleben ;  but  all  that  has  happened 
to  the  contrary." 

"  It  seems  almost  as  if  it  grieved  you,"  said  the 
knight.  "Of  course  it  has  turned  out  otherwise,  but 
evidently  to  your  advantage.  Only  have  a  little 
patience,  and  you  shall  be  richly  compensated  for 
your  disappointed  expectations  in  regard  to  Altleben. 
That  your  engagement  with  the  goldsmith's  daughter 
has  been  broken  off  should  not  cause  you  any  regret. 
The  proud  girl  is  now  obliged  to  support  herself  by 


CHURCH  AND   HOUSE. 


ZV 


the  labor  of  her  hands ;  and  the  haughty  citizen  who, 
encouraged  by  our  occasional  visits,  sought  to  gain  an 
honorable  position  by  means  of  his  little  daughter, 
fills,  as  I  have  been  assured,  a  not  very  brilliant  situa- 
tion, and  has  been  forced  to  return  to  his  handiwork. 
What  good  would  it  now  do  you  if  you  had  married 
such  poverty?  But  tell  me,  did  you  ever  return  to 
that  house  ?" 

"  Never !"  replied  Nullenbrecher.  "  I  will  not  deny 
to  you  that  that  incident  which  occurred  before  my 
eyes,  frightened  me  to  such  a  degree  that  I  lost  all 
courage  ever  to  return  to  that  house  again ;  perhaps 
because  I  cannot  bear  the  sight  of  blood." 

"I  know  also  to  a  certainty  that  your  wooing  of  her 
would  now  but  little  avail  you,"  continued  the  knight. 
"It  is  said  that  young  Guldenmeyer,  who  is  not  Eliza- 
beth's brother,  has  taken  your  place,  and  that  they  will 
soon  be  married,  at  least  so  soon  as  they  shall  have 
succeeded  in  providing  for  their  daily  bread,  which 
may  yet  be  a  long  way  off." 

"  Let  that  go,"  added  Nullenbrecher,  "  I  have  recon- 
ciled myself  to  it.  My  love  for  her  was  mostly  spirit- 
ual pity,  for  I  had  great  hope  of  leading  the  young  pi- 
etist back  to  the  true  faith.  Since,  however,  the  whole 
of  the  family  now  hold  to  those  apostate  Spenerites,  I 
am  the  more  pleased  that  it  has  so  turned  out." 

"  You  have  then,"  said  Herr  von  Langendorf,  "  not 
changed  your  views  in  regard  to  the  court-chaplain.  I 
am  rejoiced  at  this.  You  doubtless  heard  that  our 
most  gracious  sovereign,  having  at  length  had  his  pa- 
tience worn  out  by  the  arrogance  of  his  confessor,  has 
formally  broken  with    him.     His  Electoral    Highness 


328  PHILIPP  JACOB   SPENER. 

has — I  say  this  to  you  in  strict  confidence — declared 
with  a  solemn  oath,  that  he  will  never  again  attend 
Spener's  preaching,  nor  even  consider  him  any  longer 
as  his  confessor.  The  entire  court  is  most  heartily 
rejoiced  at  his  change  of  mind,  for  I  dare  say,  that  had 
Spener  retained  over  the  Elector  his  former  influence, 
we  would  not  have  spent  such  a  glorious  carnival.  But, 
my  dear  cousin,  our  work  is  only  half  finished.  I 
may,"  he  continued,  after  having  looked  carefully 
around  that  no  one  might  hear  them,  "  I  may  tell  you 
that  His  Electoral  Highness  would  not  be  sorry  to  find 
a  sufficient  cause  for  dismissing?-  his  confessor  altog-ether. 
Say,  dear  Master  Nullenbrecher,  you  have  assuredly 
heard  of  those  letters  that  passed  between  the  Elector 
and  the  court-chaplain:  the  majority  of  the  court  would 
like  much  to  know  their  contents,  and,  if  possible,  to 
obtain  a  copy  of  the  same.  I  have  been  assured  that 
Spener  keeps  copies  of  most  of  his  letters,  and  that 
these  are  taken  by  his  famulus.  Do  you  know  him, 
cousin  ?" 

"  Of  course !"  replied  the  cousin.  "  He  is  the  very 
M.  Rothner,  who,  in  preference  to  myself  was  offered 
the  appointment  to  the  charge  at  Altleben,  but  who,  as 
I  have  been  informed,  refused  to  accept,  on  account  of 
his  pietistical  attachment  to  the  court-chaplain." 

"  Precisely  so  !"  added  Langendorf.  "Now  do  you 
not  think  that  you  might  succeed  in  getting  a  copy  of 
these  letters,  through  this  famulus  ?    What  think  you?" 

Nullenbrecher  shook  his  head  and  said,  "  Most 
honored  cousin,  I  am  not  very  well  fitted  for  that  kind 
of  business  ;  besides,  Mr.  Rothner  is  a  real  thorn  in  my 
flesh,  and  I  cannot  well  make  friends  with  him." 


CHURCH  AND   HOUSE.  220 

" That  does  not  matter!"  said  the  knight.  "  However, 
as  I  have  still  an  hour's  leisure,  and,  as  it  seems,  you 
also,  suppose  you  accompany  me  into  this  cellar,  where 
we  will  treat  ourselves  to  a  glass  of  good  wine,  and 
meantime  chat  a  little  while  longer." 

And  NuUenbrecher  followed  his  cousin  into  the 
wine  house,  where  we  are  so  much  the  less  able  to  ac- 
company them,  because  history  has  thrown  over  this 
incident  a  veil  which  no  one  has,  as  yet,  been  able  to 
draw  aside,  and  which  may,  perhaps,  have  been  too 
boldly  handled  by  what  has  just  now  been  said. 

We  prefer  to  accompany  the  pious  maiden,  who 
formed  the  first  object  of  conversation  for  these  two 
men.  She  takes  the  familiar  way  across  the  New 
Market  along  Pirna  street.  There,  in  passing  a  certain 
house,  she  drops  her  eyes  to  the  book  she  was  carry- 
ing, as  if  in  deep  shame,  but  in  reality  to  conceal  from 
passers-by  the  tears  that  were  fast  suffusing  them ;  for 
it  had  been  the  house  of  her  parents,  but  was  now  the 
property  of  a  man  to  whose  inflexible  hard-heartedness 
she  principally  owed  her  present  distress.  When  she 
came  to  the  city  gate  she  turned  to  the  right,  to- 
ward the  small  church  of  St.  John,  at  which  point  she 
entered  the  house  already  designated,  and  within  it  the 
well-known  little  room,  and  hastened  towards  an  old 
man  who  was  earnestly  reading  in  a  book  which  was 
lying  on  his  work-bench  among  his  tools. 

"  God  bless  you,  dear  father !"  she  exclaimed,  kissing 
him  upon  his  cheek. 

"Welcome  from  the  word  of  God,"  replied  the  father, 
and  folded  his  child  with  a  passionate  love  to  his  heart. 
"  But  what  ails  you,  Elizabeth  ?     You  have  been  weep- 


330  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

ing!  You  come  from  the  examina  of  our  beloved  Dr. 
Spener  with  tears  !  Surely  these  can  only  be  tears  of 
joy." 

"And  yet  they  are  not,  my  good  father!"  replied 
Elizabeth.  "  But  never  mind  that.  If  you  have  no 
objection,  I  will  tell  you  what  I  have  to-day  gathered 
anew  for  our  peace  in  God." 

"This,  my  child,"  said  the  father,  "you  may  do  after 
awhile.  First  tell  me  why  you  have  been  weeping. 
Perhaps  I  can  relieve  you." 

This  remark  cast  a  still  darker  shadow  upon  her 
soul ;  for  this  kind  offer  of  her  father  seemed  of  course 
to  her  mind,  the  bitterest  and  most  cutting  irony. 

"  I  ought  to  reproach  myself  for  my  foolishness," 
she  replied,  and  then  continued,  hesitatingly,  "  I  went 
through  Pirna  street." 

"And  passed  by  our  house,"  the  goldsmith  quickly 
added,  "and  thought  of  my  great  and  grievous  guilt, 
and  wept  for  your  poor,  unhappy  father." 

"As  God  is  my  witness!"  exclaimed  the  maiden  in 
her  anxiety,  appealing  to  heaven,  after  this  mode,  per- 
haps, for  the  first  time  in  her  life,  and  only  now  with 
the  view  of  disabusing  her  father's  mind,  as  soon  as 
possible,  of  an  erroneous  impression.  "As  God  is  my 
witness,  I  never  thought  of  this.  I  only  thought  of  my 
childhood,  of  my  sainted  mother,  and  of  my  cradle ; 
and  if,  in  so  doing,  I  permitted  tears  to  start  to  my 
eyes,  I  committed  a  great  wrong,  for  it  was  almost 
murmuring  against  God's  dealings." 

It  may  be,  that  the  maiden,  in  thus  reproaching  her- 
self, hardly  did  herself  justice,  for  she  might  well  be 
conscious  of  pious  submission  to  the  will  of  the  Lord; 


CHURCH  AND   HOUSE. 


331 


but  her  kind  heart  quickly  strove  to  allay  the  pain, 
which  she  had  unwittingly  caused  her  father  by  ac- 
cusing herself  in  order  to  lead  him  into  a  different 
train  of  thought.  In  this  she  succeeded,  inasmuch  as 
he  exclaimed,  "  Murmuring  against  God's  dealings  ? 
No,  my  child,  you  cannot  do  this.  I  have  learned  first 
from  you  how  to  conduct  myself  amid  all  troubles  and 
trials." 

Elizabeth,  whose  tender  conscience,  like  that  of 
Spener,  reproached  her,  when  she  heard  herself  com- 
forted and  excused  on  account  of  a  pretended  fault,  for 
which  she  needed  no  consolation,  anxious  to  free  her- 
self from  this  embarrassing  situation,  at  once  changed 
the  conversation  by  saying:  "What  have  you  been 
reading,  dear  father  ?" 

"Ah  !"  he  replied,  and  his  eyes  sparkled  with  joy. 
"  Do  you  not  at  once  recognize  my  favorite  book, 
Arndt's  True  Christianity?  I  was  just  reading  about 
the  work  of  the  first  day  of  creation,  the  creation  of 
light.  O,  how  refreshing  is  the  language  of  that  pious, 
divinely  inspired  man  !  Read  to  me  these  passages 
which  I  have  marked :  I  cannot  read  them  often 
enough." 

And  Elizabeth  took  the  book  and  read,  "  Thus  then 
the  light  of  the  sun  sends  forth  nothing  but  the  pure, 
warm,  fervent  love  of  God.  For  whom  has  God  cre- 
ated the  sun?  Not  for  Himself  He  needs  no  sun 
nor  any  created  light.  He  is  Himself  the  eternal — 
the  infinite  light.  Therefore,  has  He  created  the  sun 
for  us.  He  shines  for  us.  Therefore  the  love  of  God 
shines  out  through  the  sun. 

"Behold,    how  richly,  mildly,  and    abundantly    the 


332  PHILIPP  JACOB   SPENER. 

light  flows  from  the  sun ;  in  Hke  manner  the  love  of 
God  is  shed  abroad  over  us,  but  only  more  abundantly 
and  infinitely.  The  sun  is  impartial,  grudging  his 
light  to  none ;  in  like  manner  the  love  of  God  extends 
over  the  whole  world.  Behold,  how  intense  the  light 
of  the  sun,  flowing  from  his  innermost  essence;  so 
ardent  and  tender  is  the  love  of  God." 

"And  this,"  interrupted  the  artisan,  quickly,  and 
with  beaming  eyes,  "  this,  my  child,  you  must  read 
also,  and  this,  and  this,  and  this;  it  runs  through  my 
very  soul." 

Elizabeth  followed  the  direction  and  read :  "  The 
light  awakens  those  who  sleep;  so  Christ,  our  light, 
awakens  us  out  of  the  sleep  of  sin.  Awake,  thou  that 
sleepest,  and  Christ  shall  give  thee  light. 

"  The  light  shows  us  the  way.  So  Christ  our  Lord 
says,  I  am  the  light  of  the  world :  he  that  followeth  Me, 
shall  not  walk  in  darkness,  but  shall  have  the  light  of 
life. 

"  The  light  possesses  a  hidden  vital  power.  So  is 
Christ  our  Lord  a  light,  in  whom  is  the  life;  and  the  life 
is  the  light  of  the  world. 

"  The  light  cannot  be  seen  without  light.  So  God 
cannot  be  known  without  God,  without  Christ,  and 
without  the  Holy  Spirit.  In  Thy  light  shall  we  see 
light." 

As  Elizabeth  here  concluded,  the  father  immediately 
added,  "Tell  me,  my  child,  how  was  it  possible,  that  I, 
for  so  long  a  time,  had  neither  taste  nor  sense  for  such 
glorious  and  blessed  truths  ?  Am  I  not  to  be  pitied  for 
enjoying  the  blessedness  of  the  Word  of  God  only  in 
my  old  age  ?" 


CHURCH  AND   HOUSE. 


333 


"  I  reply  in  the  words  of  the  Holy  Scripture,"  said 
the  daughter.  "  The  Lord  is  wonderful  in  counsel,  and 
excellent  in  working." 

"  Amen !"  suddenly  exclaimed  a  deep  manly  voice. 
Petcrmann,  the  Lockwitz  schoolmaster,  had  silently  and 
noiselessly  entered  the  room.  He  went  up  to  the  gold- 
smith, reached  out  his  hand  to  him  in  fraternal  kind- 
ness, and  said,  "  I  salute  you,  Sigismund.  How  do 
you  do?" 

"  Well !"  replied  the  artisan.  "  I  have  just  now  been 
reading  in  this  book;  and  thus  engaged,  one  cannot 
help  feeling  well,  even  though  this  or  that' in  his  condi- 
tion might  easily  be  better." 

"  And,  for  instance,  what  ?"  asked  Petermann. 

As  the  artisan,  somewhat  embarrassed  by  this  ques- 
tion, silently  dropped  his  eyes,  Elizabeth  took  up  the 
conversation,  and  said,  "  For  instance,  Mr.  Petermann, 
when  you  come  into  this  room,  and  see,  besides  my 
father,  me,  whom  you  do  not  shake  hands  with,  and 
ask  me  how  I  am.  Had  you  done  so,  I  would  have 
given  you  a  different  answer  from  the  one  father  gave 
you." 

"  Well,  and  what  would  that  have  been  ?"  asked  the 
schoolmaster. 

"  I  would  have  said,"  replied  the  maiden,  "  it  is  high 
time  that  you  come  and  ask  after  us  once  again  ;  for, 
day  after  to-morrow,  it  will  be  two  weeks  since  you 
have  concerned  yourself  about  us." 

"  So  !"  said  Petermann,  whilst  crossing  his  hands  on 
his  back,  and  walking  up  and  down  the  room. 

"  Do  you  deny  that  you  have  been  in  the  city  during 
that  time  ?"  continued  Elizabeth.     "  Who  then  was  it, 


334  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

that  this  day  a  week  ago,  sat  nearly  opposite  to  me  in 
the  Electoral  chapel,  as  Dr.  Spener  was  explaining  the 
visit  of  Nicodemus  to  our  Lord,  and  who,  when  I 
bowed  to  him,  seemed  as  if  he  did  not  know  me  ?" 

"  So  !"  again  said  Petermann  as  before. 

"  And,"  continued  the  indefatigable  plaintiff,  "  who 
was  it,  that  I  on  last  Sunday  met  at  the  Pirna  gate  call- 
ing to  me,  'My  respects  to  you  and  yours!'  and  who, 
when  he  saw  that  I  desired  to  stop  and  talk  to  him, 
acted  again  as  if  ,he  did  not  know  me  ?" 

"So!"  again  repeated  the  schoolmaster. 

"  No  !  dear  Mr.  Petermann,  no  more  so's !"  said 
Elizabeth.  "  If  you  treat  me  so  distantly  another  time, 
George  shall  never  again  visit  you  at  Lockwitz." 

"And  who  will  prevent  him  ?"  asked  the  school- 
master. 

"  I !"  replied  the  maiden.  "And  that  you  may  see 
that  I  have  such  power,  he  shall  not  show  you  the  new 
painting  which  he  finished  yesterday." 

"And  suppose  I  should  absolutely  refuse  to  see  it?" 
asked  the  other. 

"Well,  then,  I  would  just  make  you,"  was  the 
positive  reply,  as  she  hastened  into  the  adjoining  room, 
from  which  she  soon  returned  with  a  veiled  picture. 
"  Guess  whose  portrait  this  is !  It  is  that  of  a  man 
whom  you  very  well  know,  a  tolerably  old  and  fretful 
gentleman  who  would  like  to  quarrel  with  everybody, 
if  they  would  give  him  an  opportunity;  an  old 
grumbler  from  Lockwitz,  who  comes  twice  a  week  to 
Dresden,  without  visiting  his  best  friends;  a  school- 
master who,  when  he  explains  the  Holy  Scripture  to 
his  children,  shuts  up  the  book  because  he  knows  it  by 


CHURCH  AND  HOUSE. 


335 


heart,  from  beginning  to  end ;  yea,  what  is  worse  than 
all,  a  Spenerite,  as  the  people  call  him;  one  who  is, 
perhaps,  to  blame  that  the  courtiers  hate  and  persecute 
our  dear  Dr.  Spener  so  much,  and  that  even  ministers 
begin  to  rail  at  him  from  the  pulpit." 

"Alas,  you  are  right,  my  child!"  said  Petermann, 
referring  to  her  last  remark.  "Just  because  we  love 
him,  he  is  hated  and  persecuted.  But  all  these  things 
must  come  to  pass,  so  that  the  Scriptures  may  be  ful- 
filled also  in  regard  to  him:  'Then  shall  they  deliver 
you  up  to  be  afflicted,  and  ye  shall  be  hated  of  all  na- 
tions for  My  name's  sake.'  From  which  may  be  learned 
that  afflictions  are  an  evidence  of  the  love  of  the 
Lord." 

"  For  these  words,"  said  Elizabeth,  "  I  most  cheer- 
fully forgive  you  all  I  have  charged  you  with  on  my 
account." 

"Yes,  my  dear  father,  afflictions  are  an  evidence  of 
the  love  of  God.  I  have  never  felt  so  grateful  to  the 
Lord  for  the  afflictions  He  has  sent  us,  as  I  do  now." 

Saying  this,  she  wound  her  arms  about  her  father's 
neck,  looked  pleasantly  into  his  face,  and  said,  "  Do 
you  remember  what  you  made  me  read  to  you  a  little 
while  ago?  'The  Lord  is  my  light  and  the  strength 
of  my  life.'  " 

"  I  know  it,  my  child !"  replied  the  artisan,  and  a 
tear  moistened  his  cheek :  "  I  feel  it,  and  will  never 
again  forget  it.     May  God  preserve  to  me  His  light." 

Elizabeth,  whose  feelings  were  rapidly  overcoming 
her,  turned  quickly  away  from  her  father,  removed  the 
veil  from  the  painting,  and  handed  the  picture  to  the 
schoolmaster,  with  the  words :   "  Dear  Mr.  Petermann, 


336  PHILIP P  JACOB  SPENER. 

since  you  are  so  good  in  making  amends  for  the  mis- 
chief you  have  done,  I  will  show  you  the  man  in  the 
picture,  whom  I  love  a  great  deal  more  than  he  may 
deserve.  Do  you  know  this  man  with  the  half-serious 
and  half-playful  countenance,  and  whose  eyes  one  does 
not  know  whether  they  want  to  laugh  or  cry?" 

Petermann  beheld  with  surprise  his  own  portrait, 
and,  as  if  about  to  verify  Elizabetli's  description  of  him- 
self, he,  with  ill-concealed  kindliness,  said :  "  Foolish- 
ness, useless  waste  of  time!" 

"  You  are  doubtless  aware  that  George  has  a  peculiar 
talent  for  kidnapping  people;  and  so  your  turn  has,  at 
length,  come." 

"  At  length  ?"  repeated  the  schoolmaster,  with  an 
unusually  tender  smile.  "  Methinks  it  was  begun  last 
autumn  at  the  inn  in  Lockwitz.  As  I  said  then,  so 
I  must  again  say  to-day.  My  nose  might  be  a  little 
sharper;  otherwise,  the  rogue  has  hit  me  well.  How- 
ever," he  continued,  peevishly,  as  if  he  was  ashamed 
of  his  kindliness,  "  what  good  will  this  portrait  do 
him?  He  has  to  work  for  his  daily  bread!  Who  will 
buy  this  poor  old  schoolmaster  from  him  ?  Not  I,  for 
I  have  neither  the  inclination,  nor  the  money  for  such 
a  purchase." 

"  Why,  now,  Mr.  Petermann,"  rejoined  Elizabeth,  in 
seeming  reproach,  "  who,  I  would  like  to  know,  has 
told  you  that  this  portrait  is  for  sale  ?  It  is  my  prop- 
erty !" 

"  Useless,  foolish  tomfoolery !"  growled  the  school- 
master, as  he  crossed  his  hands  upon  his  back,  and 
Avalked  surlily  and  gloomily  up  and  down  the  room. 
Presently  he  stood  still  and  asked,  "  Where  is  George?" 


CHURCH  AND   HOUSE.  337 

"  He  was  with  me  at  the  examina,"  rephed  Elizabeth, 
"and  then  went,  as  he  informed  me,  to  purchase  paints. 
He  must  soon  be  back." 

"  I  have  some  new  work  for  him,"  continued  Peter- 
mann,  "and  that,  too,  a  work  for  the  sake  of  which  I 
would  like  to  turn  painter  myself,  if  I  were  not  already 
too  old.     He  is  to  paint  the  court-chaplain." 

"  What ?"  joyfully  exclaimed  Elizabeth,  "did  you 
not  tell  us  the  last  time,  that  the  Doctor  would,  on  no 
account,  consent  to  have  his  portrait  painted,  though 
urgently  requested  by  a  noble  gentleman  ?  " 

"Certainly!"  assured  the  schoolmaster.  "But  it  so 
happened  that  I  met  this  gentleman  somewhere,  and 
learned  how  very  sorry  he  was,  that  he  could  not 
obtain  the  Doctor's  likeness.  So  I  took  courage  to  call 
on  the  Doctor  after  the  examina,  and,  after  having 
conversed  with  him  on  some  other  matters,  I  at  length 
addressed  him  on  his  refusal  to  sit  for  his  likeness, 
begging  him  to  do  it  out  of  Christian  sympathy,  and 
thus  perform  an  act  of  real  kindness  to  a  young  painter, 
who,  with  his  family,  was  in  great  need.  And  when 
he  inquired  who  he  was,  I  replied  that  his  name  was 
Guldenmeyer,  and  that  he  formerly  resided  in  a  large 
house  on  Pirna  street." 

With  these  last  words,  however  harmlessly  they 
might  have  been  meant,  he  wounded  the  feelings  of 
the  goldsmith,  who  saw  in  them  an  allusion  to  his 
guilt,  and  turned  away  sad  and  sorrowful.  Elizabeth, 
too,  felt  hurt,  and  said,  "  Dear  Mr.  Petermann,  it  almost 
seems  to  me  as  if"  you  went  begging  for  us." 

"  If  you  choose  to  call  it  so,  my  child,"  replied  the 
schoolmaster,  coolly,  "  then  you  are  right.  But  I  call 
15 


-.,3  r II I  LIP P   JACOB   SPENER. 

it  a  sincere  and  well-meant  endeavor  to  obey  the 
apostolic  injunction,  '  Minister  to  the  necessity  of  the 
saints ;'  or  rather,  as  the  expression  necessity  of  saints 
might  create  false  pride — the  apostolic  desire,  *  as  we 
have  therefore  opportunity,  let  us  do  good  unto  all 
men,  especially  unto  them  who  are  of  the  household  of 
faith.'     Have  I  done  wrong  in  this  ?" 

"  No!"  replied  Elizabeth:  "forgive  me  my  improper 
remark,  George  will  scarcely  know  how  to  contain 
himself  for  joy,  when  he  finds  what  an  honor  awaits 
him.     Is  it  not  so,  dear  father  ?" 

The  goldsmith  turned  to  the  schoolmaster  and  said, 
"Andrew,  your  words  are,  indeed,  like  a  two-edged 
sword,  piercing  even  to  the  dividing  asunder  of  soul 
and  spirit.  But  I  have  richly  deserved  them,  and  will 
earnestly  strive  to  receive  them  in  future  without 
murmuring." 

Instead  of  an  answer,  Petermann  took  up  Arndt's 
True  Christianity,  turned  over  its  leaves  like  one  who 
feels  sure  of  at  once  finding  what  he  looks  for,  then 
handed  the  book  to  Elizabeth,  and  said,  whilst  pointing 
to  a  passage,  "  Read  this  to  us,  child." 

And  Elizabeth  read:  "Now,  if  a  Christian  has  been 
impelled  by  the  spirit  of  God  to  that  which  is  good, 
he  will  soon  be  able  to  notice  the  difference  between 
the  strivings  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and  those  of  the  evil 
spirit,  between  the  old  man  and  the  new,  the  spirit  of 
the  world  and  the  Spirit  which  is  of  God;  as  Paul  tells 
us,  in  I  Cor.  ii.  12:  '  Now  we  have  received,  not  the 
spirit  of  the  world,  but  the  Spirit  which  is  of  God,  that 
we  may  know  the  things  that  are  freely  given  to  us  of 
God.'     And    it  certainly   becomes  every  Christian    to 


CHURCH  AND   HOUSE.  o^o 

mark  this  difference,  so  that  he  may  recognize  the 
workings  of  the  grace  of  God  within  himself,  thank 
God  for  it,  and  humbly  pray  to  God  for  an  increase 
and  preservation  of  His  gifts,  that  he  may  be  strength- 
ened with  might  by  His  Spirit  in  the  inner  man,  that 
being  rooted  and  grounded  in  love,  he  may  be  filled 
with  all  the  fullness  of  God." 

"And  now,"  resumed  this  singular  man,  as  soon  as 
Elizabeth  had  ended,  "  farewell.  God  be  with  you ! 
Remember  me  kindly  to  George,  and  tell  him  that  he 
shall  soon  hear  more  about  the  subject  in  question." 
And  just  as  he  was  at  the  door,  he  turned  back  again, 
drew  a  small  purse  from  his  pocket,  placed  it  on  the 
table,  and  said,  "  I  had  all  but  forgotten  it.  I  have 
disposed  of  the  other  painting,  the  praying  maiden,  or, 
as  it  should  be  rather  called,  Elizabeth  Guldenmeyer 
at  her  morning  devotions,  to  the  same  gentleman,  and 
received  for  it  these  fifty  gold  guilders." 

"  You  should  not  have  done  that,"  said  Elizabeth, 
reproachfully.  "  Moreover,  George  did  not  give  you 
the  painting  for  the  purpose,  that  you  should  sell  it. 
Pray,  who  is  the  gentleman  to  whom  you  sold  it  ? 
I  shall  redeem  it  again," 

"  Who  is  the  gentleman  ?"  asked  the  schoolmaster. 
"  He  is  no  gentleman  at  all,  but  an  unworthy  servant 
of  his  master.  And  as  for  his  name,  that  need  not 
concern  you,     God  be  with  you  !" 

And,  having  said  this,  the  mysterious  schoolmaster 
quitted  the  room,  leaving  father  and  daughter,  pleased, 
indeed,  on  account  of  the  unexpected  and  opportune 
assistance  in  time  of  need,  but  yet  not  without  some 
suspicions  as  to  the  reported  sale. 


CHAPTER    XIX. 

THE    NEW    TRIAL. 

"  There  hath  no  temptation  taken  you  but  such  as  is  common  to 
man ;  but  God  is  faithful,  who  will  not  suffer  you  to  be  tempted  above 
that  ye  are  able ;  but  will  with  the  temptation  also  make  a  way  to 
escape,  that  ye  may  be  able  to  bear  it." — i  Cor.  x.  13. 

THE  rupture  of  the  Elector  with  his  confessor  had 
spread,  with  the  rapidity  of  a  hurricane,  over  the 
whole  country,  and  even  beyond  it  into  others,  where 
Spener's  name  was  mentioned  with  love  and  esteem, 
as  well  as  with  hatred  and  censoriousness.  Whoever 
contemplates  and  estimates  human  destinies  merely 
with  the  human  eye,  might  say  that  the  cause  of 
practical  Christianity,  as  taught  and  exemplified  by 
Spener,  was  just  now  in  the  greatest  and  most  immi- 
nent danger.  For,  though  the  court-chaplain  had, 
from  the  very  commencement  of  his  labors,  and  espec- 
ially since  the  time  of  the  publication  of  his  ^'Pia  desi- 
deria"  aroused  against  himself  a  large  number  of 
enemies  and  opponents  among  his  ministerial  brethren, 
and  particularly  among  the  professors  at  the  universi- 
ties, whose  hostile  attacks  had  followed  him  to  Saxony; 
still,  his  position  as  court-chaplain  protected  him  against 
the  attacks  of  such  as  did  not  appear  to  consider  it 
altogether  advantageous  to  themselves  to  oppose  too 
strenuously  the  labors  of  a  man  who  enjoyed  the  favor 
of  his  sovereign.  But  when  the  Elector's  change  of 
mind,  in  regard  to  his  confessor,  became  known,  every 

(340) 


THE   NEW   TRIAL.  241 

secret  mine  was  sprung  to  accomplish  the  destruction 
of  a  man  whom  the  people  who  had  been  awakened 
by  him  to  the  joy  of  Christian  faith  and  life,  loved  and 
revered  as  a  deliverer  sent  from  God  at  a  time  of  great 
need ;  and  it  was  to  be  expected  that  the  displeasure 
of  the  sovereign  would  operate  as  an  invitation  to 
weak,  prejudiced  and  speculating  men,  to  rise  up 
against  the  holy  cause,  and  destroy  indiscriminately 
both  what  was  laudable  and  censurable. 

Thus  human  short-sightedness  would  have  reasoned. 
But  he  who,  with  the  mind  of  a  Christian,  pays  closer 
attention  to  the  wonderful  ways  of  God,  must  confess 
to  himself  with  joyful  confidence  that  the  work  which 
Spener  had  called  forth  needed  just  such  a  touch- 
stone for  its  confirmation,  whether  the  pure  Christian 
gold  would  now,  as  ever  before,  stand  the  test.  To 
show  how  this  did  also,  amid  many  trials,  and  in  every 
respect,  prove  itself  such,  is  not  the  business  of  this 
book:  those,  however,  who  desire  to  enlighten  them- 
selves further  on  this  subject,  will  find  in  other  writings 
much  of  what  they  seek. 

This  conviction — namely,  the  necessity  of  such  tests 
- — had  also  forced  itself  upon  the  mind  of  the  court- 
chaplain  ;  and  he  bore  this  trial,  which,  although  only  a 
personal  one,  exerted,  nevertheless,  the  greatest  influ- 
ence upon  the  whole  of  his  labors  as  a  minister,  the 
more  calmly  and  cheerfully,  the  more  he  was  honestly 
assured  that  he  had  done  only  his  duty,  and  no  more 
than  what  his  predecessors  had  done  before  him,  per- 
haps even  in  stronger  language,  and  with  more  happy 
results  than  had  been  permitted  to  him. 

One  morning,  just  as  the  court-chaplain    had   con- 


342  PHI  LIP  P  JACOB  SPENER. 

eluded  his  private  devotions,  in  which  he  was  in  the 
habit  of  engaging  several  times  during  each  day,  and 
in  which  he  especially  remembered  those,  concerning 
the  salvation  of  whose  souls  he  felt  particularly  inter- 
ested, his  famulus  announced  to  him  a  visit  from  Herr 
von  Griinrode.  Spener  immediately  hastened  to  re- 
ceive the  venerable  gentleman,  and  conducted  him  into 
his  room.  "  Blessed  be  the  entrance  of  your  excellency 
into  my  house,"  said  Spener,  his  voice  giving  evidence 
that  his  blood  was  not  altogether  tranquil. 

"  My  reverend  and  dear  Doctor,"  replied  the  privy 
counselor,  "  I  may  truly  say,  that  I  have  greatly  de- 
sired to  have  once  more  a  long  conversation  with  you. 
For  some  months  past,  you,  as  well  as  myself,  have 
been  not  a  little  tried ;  and  though  I  may  confess, 
with  regard  to  you,  even  more  than  with  regard  to 
myself,  that  this  trial,  however  severe,  may  neverthe- 
less be  borne,  still  a  word  of  comfort  and  consolation 
is  agreeable  to  every  heart." 

"  Would  that  I  could  do  this  for  you  in  the  high- 
est degree,"  replied  the  court-chaplain;  "for  it  is  still  a 
heavy  weight  upon  my  conscience,  that  I,  though  with- 
out the  remotest  comprehension  or  intention,  should 
have  been  the  cause  of  your  incurring  the  displeasure 
of  our  sovereign ;  and  it  grieves  me  deeply,  that  His 
Electoral  Highness  has  utterly  refused  to  listen  to  a 
vindication  of  these  falsely-accused  gentlemen." 

"  Let  not  this  grieve  you,  my  dearest  friend,"  com- 
forted the  privy  counselor.  "As  far  as  I  am  concerned, 
you  have,  both  by  precept  and  example,  sufficiently 
taught  me  to  bear  an  undeserved  calamity  with  Christ- 
ian  cheerfulness.     Besides,   I   have   the  joyful   confi- 


THE   NEW  TRIAL.  243 

dencc,  that  our  gracious  sovereign  will  soon  change 
his  mind,  and  thus  restore  that  former  harmony  and 
mutual  confidence,  so  necessary  to  the  exercise  of 
your  important  office,  which,  I  need  not  conceal  it, 
malicious  calumnies  have  impaired." 

"  Does  your  excellency  hope  this  ?"  asked  the  court- 
chaplain.  "  I  must  confess,  that  I  do  not  find  it  easy 
to  give  place  to  such  a  hope  in  my  heart.  Mistrust 
is  an  evil  weed,  which  is  not  easily  eradicated,  and  I 
should  not  be  at  all  surprised,  if  your  excellency  should 
be  the  bearer  of  my  dismission." 

"What  do  you  think,  my  dear  Doctor?"  exclaimed 
Griinrode.  "  No,  it  will  never  come  to  this :  to  the 
adoption  of  such  an  extreme  measure  His  Electoral 
Highness  can  never  resort." 

"Why  not?"  continued  Spener.  "A  beginning  to 
this  end  has  been  made  in  more  ways  than  one.  I 
have  been  assured,  that  His  Electoral  Highness  has 
declared,  under  a  most  solemn  oath,  never  again  to 
hear  me  preach,  and  to  break  off  all  and  every  inter- 
course with  me.  And  when  I  reflect,  how  pertina- 
ciously our  gracious  sovereign  refuses  to  listen  to  every 
vindication  and  defence  of  the  accused,  how  he,  at 
times,  expresses  himself  in  regard  to  myself  before  his 
court,  and  how  he,  since  the  reception  of  that  unfor- 
tunate letter,  has  never  attended  church,  nor  even 
expressed  a  desire  for  the  Holy  Supper,  I  am  fully 
justified  in  my  fears  that  so  sad  a  beginning  will  be 
followed  by  as  sad  an  ending." 

"As  respects  the  partaking  of  the  Holy  Supper," 
said  the  privy  couselor,  with  some  embarrassment,  "  it 
is  the  object  of  my  present  visit  to  inform  you  of  the 


344  PHIL  IP P  JACOB   SP  EATER. 

Elector's  desire  to  receive  it.  You  are  aware  that  my 
gracious  sovereign  intended  to  leave,  in  a  few  days, 
with  both  their  Highnesses,  the  Princes,  for  the  Rhine, 
whither  the  troops  have  already  preceded  him.  There 
is  to  be  a  military  expedition  against  France,  prepara- 
tion for  which  has  long  since  been  made,  and  which, 
in  consequence  of  the  rapacity  of  the  King  of  the 
French,  may  be  a  work  of  necessary  protection. 
Before  his  departure  hence  his  Electoral  Highness,  of 
course,  desires  the  holy  communion." 

"I  am  daily,  nay,  hourly,  at  the  service  of  my 
gracious  sovereign,"  said  Spener. 

"This  is  why,"  now  continued  Griinrode,  falteringly, 
"  I  have  asked  from  his  Electoral  Highness,  the  per- 
mission of  coming  to  you  myself  At  first  Herr  von 
Langendorf  had  been  selected  to  bring  you  this  infor- 
mation ;  and  that  my  prayer  to  send  me  instead  of  him 
has  been  granted,  is  to  me  a  favorable  sign  that  the 
Elector  will  gradually  forget  his  grudge  against  me 
altogether." 

"I  am  heartily  rejoiced  at  it,"  assured  the  court- 
chaplain,  "  and,  although  we  are  commanded  to  be 
courteous  towards  all  men,  consequently  also,  towards 
our  enemies,  and,  although  I  always  endeavor  to  be  so, 
I  yet  must  confess  to  your  Excellency  that  your  visit 
affords  me  greater  pleasure  than  that  of  Herr  von 
Langendorf  who,  without  my  knowing  precisely  why, 
has  manifested  a  hostile  disposition  towards  me  almost 
irom  the  commencement." 

The  privy  counselor,,  who  seemed  to  have  no  dispo- 
sition to  enter  upon  an  explanation  of  this  last  remark, 
was  evidently  engaged  in  thinking  of  how  he  might 


THE  NEW   TRIAL.  ,45 

best  communicate  what  he  had  still  unexpressed.  At 
length  he  said,  "  Reverend  sir,  you  were  correct  when 
you  called  distrust  an  evil  weed,  which  can  be  eradi- 
cated only  gradually  and  with  difficulty.  For,  even 
after  distrust  and  its  cause  have  been  removed,  there 
still  remains  between  persons  who  for  a  time  have  been 
estranged  from  each  other,  a  certain  coldness,  a  hesi- 
tancy to  come  together;  and  this  mutual  approach 
cannot  be  forced,  but  must  be  left  to  some  fortuitous 
circumstance.  That  this  is  the  condition  of  things 
between  you  and  our  gracious  sovereign,  I  cannot 
deny,  since  I  know  of  its  existence  from  actual  exper- 
ience. Hence,  though  I  could,  from  my  most  honest 
convictions,  assure  you  that  his  Electoral  Highness 
could  by  no  means  resort  to  those  extreme  measures 
to  which  you  a  little  while  ago  alluded,  I  dare,  in  the 
meantime,  not  conceal  from  you  that  for  the  moment, 
and,  indeed,  for  some  time  to  come,  a  perfect  reconcil- 
iation must  not  be  expected." 

"  Only  tell  me  plainly,"  here  interrupted  Spener,  in 
as  calm  a  tone  as  possible,  "  whatever  of  evil  you  have 
to  communicate.  I  am  prepared  for  everything,  and 
shall  not  refuse  to  submit  to  whatever  his  Electoral 
Highness  has  determined  in  regard  to  me." 

"  Do  not  be  too  apprehensive,  at  once,  of  evil,  my 
dearest  friend !"  said  Griinrode,  encouragingly.  "And 
that  you  may  not  needlessly  torment  yourself  any 
longer,  I  will  tell  you  that  his  Electoral  Highness 
communicates  to  you  his  desire,  for  the  time  being,  to 
receive  the  Holy  Supper,  and,  as  a  necessary  conse- 
quence also,  the  absolution,  from  your  colleague,  the 
Rev.  Mr  Green." 
15* 


246  PHILIP P   JACOB   SPENER. 

At  these  words  the  court-chaplain  started,  and  his 
face  turned  pale.  After  a  pause,  he  replied :  "  I  am 
under  obligation  of  obedience  to  my  gracious  sover- 
eign. If  he  has  lost  confidence  in  me,  I  am  deeply 
grieved ;  yet,  I  cannot  be  angry  with  him  in  refusing 
to  receive,  prior  to  the  solemnization  of  a  sacred  act 
which  requires  a  peaceable  heart,  the  absolution  from 
the  lips  of  a  man  whose  presence  is  hateful  to  him." 

"Do  not,  my  dearest  Doctor,  pass  so  severe  a  sen- 
tence either  upon  yourself,  nor  yet  upon  the  Elector," 
entreated  the  privy  counselor.  "  You  know  our 
gracious  sovereign  is,  at  heart,  affable  and  kind,  and 
not  at  all  disinclined  to  be  earnestly  admonished.  You 
have  already  learned  to  know  him  as  such  in  Frankfurt, 
where  he,  for  the  first  time,  received  the  Holy  Supper 
at  your  hands,  and  you  have  surely  noticed,  during  the 
time  of  your  labors  here,  especially  in  the  beginning, 
how  your  words  entered  his  heart,  and  how  kindly  he 
received  them.  Moreover,  you  must  also  be  aware 
that  your  letter,  on  the  day  of  humiliation  and  prayer, 
at  first  most  deeply  affected  him,  and  that  the  same 
would  most  undoubtedly  have  been  attended  with  the 
happiest  results  for  you  on  the  day  following,  if  a  few 
of  the  courtiers  who  surround  the  person  of  our 
gracious  sovereign  had  not,  from  motives  of  personal 
animosity  to  you  and  your  labors,  and  your  influence 
over  the  mind  and  heart  of  the  Elector,  embittered 
him  against  you,  under  pretext  that  you  had,  in  your 
writing,  cast  aside  that  respect  due  to  him.  I  am  also 
free  in  asserting  that  it  never  would  have  gone  so  far, 
if  I  had  not,  unfortunately,  been  absent  on  that  day. 
Your  enemies  knew  well  that  his  Electoral  Highness 


THE   NEW   TRIAL.  ^.j 

was  most  vulnerable  on  this  point,  and  could  most 
easily  be  gained  for  their  ends  in  being  thus  assailed. 
And  you,  my  reverend  Doctor,  will  readily  compre- 
prehend  that  those  gentlemen  are  most  anxious  to  keep 
the  Elector  in  his  present  frame  of  mind.  But  do  not, 
on  that  account,  fear  the  worst;  God  will  dispose  all 
things  well.  As  soon  as  I  shall  have  succeeded  in 
personally  regaining  the  confidence  of  our  gracious 
sovereign  (which  I  do  not  now  possess,  in  so  far  as 
the  Elector  avoids  being  alone  with  me),  so  soon  do  I 
hope  to  be  able,  with  the  help  of  God,  who  will  bless 
my  efforts  and  give  efficacy  to  my  words,  to  remove 
the  bandage  from  the  eyes  of  our  misguided  sovereign." 

"  Your  Excellency  speaks  very  hopefully,"  replied 
the  court-chaplain,  "  yet  I  have  a  presentiment  that 
your  expectations  will  never  be  realized." 

"And  yet  they  may  be !"  added  Herr  von  Griinrode. 
"  For  the  circumstance  of  His  Electoral  Highness' 
being,  in  consequence  of  the  military  campaign  just 
commenced,  removed  from  your  immediate  presence, 
can  only  be  favorable  to  our  wishes,  inasmuch  as  new 
impressions  and  incidents  naturally  take  the  place  of 
old  ones." 

Spener  hesitated  to  express  his  opinion  in  regard  to 
the  hope  of  the  privy  counselor.  After  a  pause,  he 
turned  to  him  and  said :  "  Your  Excellency  has  ever 
treated  me  with  kindness  and  affection;  permit  me, 
therefore,  to  speak  openly  to  you,  and  do  you  give  me 
your  candid  opinion.  I  have  always  regarded  it  as  a 
most  difficult  task  on  the  part  of  an  evangelical  min- 
ister to  maintain  over  powerful  princes  and  gentlemen, 
proper  authority  and   respect    in  the   conduct   of  his 


348  PHI  LIP P   JACOB   SPENER. 

office,  because  the  evangelical  minister  has  no  other 
power  at  his  command  than  that  of  the  Word  of  God 
which  he  preaches;  and  it  is  very  possible  that  one 
may  be  either  too  severe  or  too  indulgent,  and  there  is 
grfeat  danger  of  entirely  overlooking  the  court-chaplain 
on  account  of  the  courtier.  Hence,  it  has  been  my 
opinion,  that  we  ministers,  in  our  intercourse  with  indi- 
viduals of  distinction,  should  not  conform  to  their 
manners  and  customs ;  but,  dealing  as  servants  of  God 
with  them,  we  should,  whilst  paying  all  necessary  and 
proper  respect,  avoid  all  vain  compliments  and  adula- 
tion, and  conduct  ourselves  with  becoming  Christian 
simplicity  and  dignity.  And  since  the  doctrine  and 
instruction  we  bring  to  the  high  and  mighty  ones  of 
the  land,  is  the  same  gospel  which  we  preach  to  the 
poorest  and  humblest,  it  is  but  fitting  that  our  conduct, 
in  our  necessary  intercourse  with  them,  should  be  as 
free  from  flattery  and  worldly  politeness  as  from  incon- 
siderate severity.  Does  your  Excellency  agree  with 
me?" 

"  Certainly,  my  dearest  friend,"  asserted  the  privy 
counselor,  warmly.  "  You  have  designated  the  only 
possible  proper  course,  the  golden  mean,  which  a  min- 
ister can  adopt  in  his  intercourse  with  the  high  and 
noble.  And  if  there  have  been  court-chaplains  who 
conformed  to  court-customs  more  than  was  becoming, 
their  labors  were  assuredly  not  crowned  with  the  de- 
sired success." 

"  And  now  permit  me,"  continued  Spener,  after  hav- 
ing taken  from  his  writing-desk  a  paper  and  referred  to 
a  certain  passage  in  it.  "  When  yet  in  Frankfurt  I  pre- 
pared my  desired  answer  to  the  call  which  my  gracious 


THE   NEW  TRIAL.  249 

sovereign  had  extended  to  me,  I  inserted  among  items 
the  following :  '  I  declare  to  your  Electoral  Highness, 
with  all  due  deference,  that  it  shall  be  my  most  anxious 
concern  to  discharge  all  such  functions  and  all  their 
attendant  obligations  with  fidelity,  assiduity  and  care, 
according  as  the  Lord  of  lords,  in  answer  to  my  earnest 
prayers,  may  give  me  strength ;  in  the  which  I  feel 
fully  confident  that,  as  your  Electoral  Highness  has 
been  graciously  pleased  to  appoint  me  your  court-chap- 
lain, confessor,  counselor,  and  judge  lateral  of  your 
high  consistory,  and  as  you  have  also  graciously 
granted  me  the  exercise  of  that  liberty  which  is  based 
upon  divine  authority  and  belongs  to  all  spiritual 
offices,  to  preach  the  Word  of  God  freely  and  as  con- 
tained in  the  law  and  gospel,  as  my  Christian  con- 
science may  constrain  me,  in  the  fear  of  God,  and  in  so 
doing  render  first  of  all  obedience  to  the  will  of  the 
Highest;  yea,  I  feel  assured  that,  as  your  Electoral 
Highness,  as  a  Christian  and  evangelical  prince,  will 
suffer  the  pastoral  care  which  your  most  humble  ser- 
vant is  to  assume  over  you,  to  become  ever  fruitful  ac- 
cording to  the  knowledge  of  the  will  of  God  to  your 
own  eternal  salvation,  so  also  will  you  graciously  up- 
hold whatever  may  be  necessary  to  a  vigorous  conduct 
of  the  sacred  office,  according  to  the  divine  require- 
ments among  all,  both  high  and  low,  so  that  I  may 
bear  so  heavy  a  burden,  which  justly  weighs  upon  my 
conscience  before  God,  and  has  made  me  reluctant  to 
accept  with  joy  and  not  with  grief;  and  by  divine 
grace,  and  with  the  co-operation  of  your  Electoral 
Highness,  to  bear  blessed  fruit  for  my  comfort  and  to 
the  praise  of  God.     In  addition  to  this,  I  moreover  en- 


350  PHILTPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

tertain  the  most  humble  confidence  that  your  Electoral 
Highness,  in  accordance  with  your  well-known  and 
highly  commended  benignity,  will  always  graciously 
regard  me  and  mine,  during  and  after  my  life.  This 
plain  language,"  added  Spener,  after  having  restored 
the  paper  in  question  to  his  desk,  "  his  Electoral  High- 
ness did  not  only  graciously  receive,  but  afterward 
kindly  endorse  by  his  hearty  consent.  If  now  your 
Excellency  considers  all  this,  taking  also  into  consid- 
eration the  example  of  my  predecessors,  namely,  that 
of  Drs.  Weller  and  Geier,  do  you  think  that  I  have 
been  wanting  in  proper  respect  to  my  gracious  sover- 
eign in  sending  my  letter  ?" 

"Certainly  not,  reverend  sir!"  assured  the  privy 
counselor;  "and  if  a  not  inconsiderable  number  of  the 
courtiers  of  the  Elector  have  represented  the  discharge 
of  this  particular  duty  of  your  office  as  a  violation  of 
becoming  respect,  I  can  also  give  you  the  comforting 
assurance  that  the  other  part,  who  are  honestly  disposed 
towards  the  Elector,  give  you  all  due  credit  for  what 
you  have  done,  and  permit  no  opportunity  to  escape 
them  to  enlighten  the  Elector  on  the  subject.  All 
this,  and  more  especially  the  sincere  regard  in  which 
you  are  held  by  the  Electress,  affords  me  a  sure  hope 
that  the  Elector,  with  his  love  for  the  right,  will  become 
reconciled  to  you,  and  that,  in  consideration  of  the 
present  state  of  affairs,  you  will  willingly  consent  that 
your  colleague  should,  for  the  time  being,  officiate  as 
confessor  in  your  stead." 

"  Certainly,  certainly,"  replied  Spener,  with  un- 
affected sincerity.  "As  painful  as  it  is  to  me  that  even 
a  temporary  misunderstanding  should  have  occurred 


THE   NEW   TRIAL. 


351 


between  my  gracious  sovereign  and  myself,  I  am  yet 
pleased  that  the  Elector  does  not  neglect  sacred  things 
for  the  sake  of  a  personal  disagreement.  Your  excel- 
lency may,  therefore,  present  my  most  humble  respects 
to  his  Electoral  Highness,  and  assure  him  that  I  most 
sincerely  wish  him  the  grace  and  assistance  of  God  in 
this  solemn  rite.  I  myself  will,  at  the  same  time,  while 
my  colleague  is  officiating  in  my  stead,  pray  to  God  in 
my  closet  to  direct  the  heart  of  my  gracious  sovereign, 
and  restore  his  favor  again  to  me,  his  unworthy  sub- 
ject." 

"May  God  bless  you  for  these  words!"  said  the 
privy  counselor,  giving  the  court-chaplain  an  affec- 
tionate pressure  of  the  hand.  "  When  we  shall  once 
meet  above,  God  will  render  to  every  one  according 
to  his  deeds;  to  them  who  by  patient  continuance  in 
well  doing,  seek  for  glory,  and  honor,  and  immortality, 
eternal  life.     For  God  is  no  respecter  of  persons." 

With  these  words  the  privy  counselor  left  Spener's 
room. 

A  few  days  after,  the  Elector  returned,  for  a  short 
time,  to  Dresden,  for  the  purpose  of  receiving  the 
Holy  Communion  from  the  hands  of  Mr.  Green. 
Spener,  in  the  meantime,  cherished  the  secret  hope, 
that  he  would  not  again  leave  without  a  word  of  con- 
solation and  comfort  to  himself.  In  this  he  was,  how- 
ever, mistaken.  The  Elector  left  Dresden  soon  after, 
and  joined  the  army  near  the  Rhine.  Spener's  pas- 
toral conscience  mourned,  and  he  could  not  refrain 
from  sitting  down  to  his  desk,  and  writing  the  fol- 
lowing': 

"  Divine  grace,  peace,  salvation,  life,  and  the  strength- 


352  PHIL  IP P  JACOB   SPENER. 

ening  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  of  our  ascended  and 
glorious  King,  Jesus  Christ,  be  with  you,  and  grant 
vou  a  prosperous  and  blessed  reign. 

"Most  Serene  Prince. 

"  Most  gracious  Elector  and  Sovereign :  Since  the 
shortness  of  time,  and  the  many  pressing  engagements 
before  the  departure  of  your  Electoral  Highness,  did 
not  permit  me  to  pay  my  humble  respects  to  you,  I 
regard  it  as  my  duty  to  communicate  by  letter  the 
sincere  and  earnest  wishes,  which  I  could  not  com- 
municate in  person.  And  herewith  I  humbly  call  upon 
the  Lord  of  Hosts,  our  faithful  and  heavenly  Father, 
and  will  continue  to  do  so  from  day  to  day,  that  He 
will,  for  the  sake  of  His  Son  Jesus  Christ,  preserve  by 
his  grace  and  almighty  power,  not  only  the  bodily 
health  of  your  Electoral  Highness,  during  the  military 
expedition  upon  which  you  are  about  to  enter,  and 
command  His  holy  angels  to  guard  you  against  every 
possible  danger;  but  by  His  Holy  Spirit  guide  you, 
during  your  whole  life,  in  the  administration  of  your 
government  and  warlike  enterprises,  in  such  a  way, 
that  all  may  redound  to  the  glory  of  God,  to  the  sal- 
vation of  your  soul,  and  to  the  general  welfare  of  your 
people.  May  He,  the  Most  Mighty,  be  Himself  the 
captain  of  your  expedition,  your  counselor,  and  inspire 
you  with  courage,  and  discomfit  the  enemy,  who  has  un- 
justly assailed  the  empire.  May  He  crown  your  arms 
with  victory  and  restore  to  your  realm,  to  the  great  joy 
of  your  subjects,  Your  Electoral  Highness,  with  little 
loss,  and  crowned  with  many  noble  and  glorious  deeds. 
May  His  blessings  upon  you  be  abundant,  that  your 
soul  and  body  may  be  in  health,  and  that  you  may 


THE   NEW   TRIAL. 


353 


continue,  for  a  long  time  to  come,  the  protector  of  His 
church,  the  joy  of  the  nation,  the  ornament  of  your 
noble  house,  and  the  benefactor  of  your  subjects.  And 
now,  sincerely  committing  you  to  the  gracious  pro- 
tection and  guidance  of  the  Most  High,  I  remain, 
prayerfully, 

"  Your  Electoral  Highness' 

"  Most  humble  servant, 

"  Philipp  Jac.  Spener. 

*^  Dresden,  May  i6,  Anuo  i68g." 

Spener  sent  to  the  Elector  this  well-meaning  letter, 
which  contained  not  the  most  distant  allusion  to  the 
mortifying  neglect  with  which  he  had  been  treated. 

And  what  effect  did  it  produce  ? 

None!  The  Elector  deigned  not  a  syllable  in  reply, 
either  orally  or  by  letter. 


CHAPTER    XX. 

THE  NEW  LIFE, 

"  As  every  one  hath  received  the  gift,  even  so  minister  the  same,  one 
to  another,  as  good  stevifards  of  the  manifold  grace  of  God." — i  Peter 
iv.  lo. 

THE  gentle  reader  will  have  retained,  from  the  com- 
mencement of  this  history,  a  pleasant  memory  of 
the  road  leading  from  Dresden  to  Lockwitz;  a  road 
which,  on  a  fine  summer  evening,  or  during  any  season, 
will  cause  the  traveler  to  indulge  in  agreeable  reveries  ; 
and  a  sight  of  the  romantic  sandstone  mountains,  with 
their  valleys  and  defiles,  and  the  joyous  Elbe,  will  even 
force  a  foreigner  to  exclaim,  Saxonland  is  truly  a  beau- 
tiful land ! 

On  a  bright  forenoon,  during  the  pleasantest  season  of 
the  year,  we  might  have  seen  upon  the  road  in  question 
three  wanderers,  who,  though  it  was  not  Sunday,  never- 
theless gave  evidence,  by  their  Sunday  apparel,  that 
something  festive  occupied  their  minds.  One  was  a 
man  tolerably  well  up  in  years,  though  still  of  a  firm 
step ;  at  his  side  walked  a  young  maiden,  who  carried 
something  carefully  concealed  in  a  basket.  Before 
them  walked  a  youth,  bearing  a  large,  square,  well  cov- 
ered case,  which  he  frequently,  yet  with  the  utmost 
caution,  shifted  from  hand  to  hand.  The  burden  he 
bore  seemed,  however,  not  to  weary  him;  for  his  open, 
noble  countenance  was  radiant  with  the  most  happy 
contentinent  and  cheerfulness,  which  so  accelerated  his 

(354) 


THE   NEW  LIFE. 


355 


steps,  that  he  was  often  obliged  to  stop  and  wait  till  his 
companions  came  up  with  him.  At  a  point  where  the 
road,  running  along  fruitful  fields,  made  an  abrupt  turn, 
the  young  man  came  to  a  sudden  halt,  and  said  to  his 
companions  :  "  Here  it  was,  precisely  on  this  very  spot, 
where  he  took  me  into  his  carriage.  Alas,  nearly  a 
year  has  passed  by  since  then,  and  many  are  the 
changes  it  has  wrought." 

"Yes,  indeed,  my  son!"  said  the  elder,  with  a  mix- 
ture of  joy  and  sorrow  in  his  tone.  "I  at  that  time 
should  not  have  believed  that  we  would  this  day  jour- 
ney together  to  Lockwitz  on  our  present  errand." 

"Yet,  all  three  of  us,"  quickly  added  the  maiden, 
"  will  acknowledge  with  joyful  gratitude,  that  the  Lord 
has  done  all  things  well.     Is  it  not  so,  dear  father  ?" 

"I,  above  all,  should  acknowledge  it,"  replied  he. 
"I  have  never  before,  during  all  my  life,  contemplated 
or  admired  the  works  of  God  in  nature  with  such  a 
cheerful,  happy  mind,  as  to-day.  And  yet  this  emotion 
of  joy  in  the  Lord,  my  God,  is  also  mingled  with  one 
of  sadness,  though  I  do  not  really  know  why,  for  my 
soul  is  at  present  truly  cheerful." 

"Perhaps  I  can  explain  it  to  you,  dear  father,"  said 
the  daughter,  who,  as  it  seemed,  was  exceedingly  anx- 
ious to  remove  every  sting  which  threatened  to  wound 
the  old  man's  heart.  "The  joy  which  you  and  all  of 
us  experience  at  beholding  these  lovely  scenes,  arises 
from  a  sense  of  the  wonderful  majesty  of  our  God,  who, 
by  the  power  of  His  word,  has  called  all  these  things 
into  being,  whilst  the  sadness  mingling  with  it  is  pro- 
duced by  the  humiliating  consciousness  of  how  little 
and  insignificant  man,  with  all  his  works,  is  before  this 


356  PHIL  IP  P  JACOB   SPENER. 

wonderful  God  of  power  and  glory.  Yet,  in  the  Chris- 
tian's heart  this  mournful  joy  unites  itself  witlt  the 
blessed  consciousness,  that  we  are  the  children  of  this 
God,  and  can  find  access  to  Him,  as  our  father,  through 
Him,  who,  for  our  sakes,  came  into  this  world,  that 
through  Him  we  might  have  eternal  life." 

"  God  only  knows  whence  you  have  such  comforting 
words!"  exclaimed  the  father.  "I  have  lived  in  this 
world  three  times  as  long  as  you,  and  though  I  do 
now,  thanks  be  to  God,  feel  how  full  of  the  most  joyful 
consolation  these  words  are,  yet  my  heart  is  barren  of 
such  thoughts." 

"They  are  not  my  words,"  said  Elizabeth.  "Father 
Spener  taught  them  to  me.  I  remember  how  he, 
when  explaining  the  second  petition  of  the  Lord's 
Prayer,  also  said  of  the  visible  and  imperishable  King- 
dom of  God  on  earth  that  after  the  knowledge  of  God 
and  His  will,  the  knowledge  of  nature  and  all  created 
things,  was  the  noblest  employment  in  which  man 
could  engage,  provided  he  did  so  with  a  view  to  the 
proper  end.  And  this  end  he  said,  was  the  recognition 
of  God,  in  all  His  works — of  His  wisdom,  His  omnip- 
otence. His  bounty,  or,  as  it  were,  his  foot-prints  in  the 
earth,  that  thereby  our  love  and  reverence  to  Him 
might  be  increased  and  confirmed,  and  mankind  be 
induced  to  praise  Him  more  heartily.  But,  dear  father, 
I  see  George  has  got  so  far  ahead  of  us  that  he  is 
altogether  out  of  sight.  I  hope  he  will  not  prove 
faithless  to  us,  now  when  we  have  reached  the  town?" 

"  He  has,  doubtless,  gone  ahead,"  suggested  the 
father,  "  to  make  inquiries  whether  Petermann  is  at 
home,  or  if  not,  where  he  may  be  found.     But  see,  he 


THE   NEW  LIFE. 


357 


is  now  coming  toward  us,  and  that,  too,  with  empty 
hands ;    he  must  have  left  his  picture  somewhere." 

So  it  was.  George  informed  them  that  Petermann 
was  still  engaged  with  his  school  children,  and  as  he 
did  not  like  to  be  disturbed  when  so  employed,  they 
had  now  no  alternative  but  to  wait  at  the  inn,  where 
he  had  already  deposited  the  picture.  Thus  the  three 
entered  the  guest-chamber,  with  which  we  are  already 
somewhat  familiar,  and  which  was,  just  now,  entirely 
deserted,  and  called  for  some  refreshments. 

"  How  vividly  this  day  brings  everything  to  my 
mind  !"  remarked  George.  "  There,  in  yonder  corner, 
sat  the  morose  and  gloomy-looking  old  gentleman,  for 
whom  I  felt  an  instinctive  liking,  even  then,  in  spite  of 
his  sour  looks,  and  before  I  knew  that  he  was  my 
sainted  mother's  own  brother.  Here,  at  this  table,  the 
simple-minded  peasants  from  Dohna  discussed  their 
frugal  meal;  and  just  on  this  very  spot,  dear  Elizabeth, 
where  you  now  stand,  stood  the  young  woman  whose 
short  prayer  so  affected  me  that  I  felt  really  ashamed 
at  not  having  first  asked  a  blessing  on  my  own  meal. 
Here,  at  this  table,  I  offended  against  my  good  uncle, 
whose  likeness  I  had,  according  to  his  own  admission, 
hit  well,  all  but  the  nose.  And  here,  on  this  chair,  sat 
he,  in  all  the  elegance  of  his  newest  wig,  whose  name 


At  these  words  George  suddenly  stopped,  and, 
blushing  deeply,  cast  down  his  eyes.  For  the  door 
opened  and  Master  Nullenbrecher  entered.  When  he 
saw  our  three  friends  he  started  in  surprise,  and  made 
a  motion  to  retreat.  But  suddenly  a  better  or  wiser 
idea  may  have  struck  him,  for  he  stepped  pompously 


358  PHILIP P  JACOB  SPENER. 

into  the  room,  saluted  to  the  right  and  left  with  a  stiff 
and  supercilious  inclination  of  the  head,  and  took  a 
seat  near  a  table  in  the  corner.  To  the  rest,  especially 
to  old  Mr.  Guldenmeyer  and  his  daughter,  this  meeting 
was  just  as  embarrassing;  and  whilst  the  father,  in  his 
confusion,  turned  his  back  upon  the  newcomer,  by 
looking  out  of  the  window,  Elizabeth's  face  turned 
crimson  as  her  eyes  dropped  to  the  floor.  George 
alone,  whose  surprise  had  as  quickly  passed  away  as 
it  had  come,  betrayed  no  embarrassment.  Secure  in 
the  possession  of  the  prize,  he  could  boldly  confront 
his  former  rival.  He  even  felt  a  disposition  to  indulge 
in  a  little  ridicule  and  raillery;  but  his  better  self  over- 
came the  temptation,  and,  turning  to  the  Master,  he 
said,  quite  innocently :  "  Master  Nullenbrecher,  you 
have  doubtless  indulged  in  roaming  over  our  beautiful 
mountains,  and,  by  a  singular  accident,  we  meet  here  a 
second  time,  quite  unexpectedly." 

"Very  true,"  assured  the  Master,  crossing  his  long 
legs  with  an  air  of  affected  carelessness,  and,  at  the 
same  time,  arranging  a  stray  lock  of  his  wig.  "This 
is  one  of  my  favorite  walks.  What  is  declared  in 
Proverbs,  I  think  in  the  third  chapter,  concerning  the 
ways  of  the  man  who  finds  wisdom  and  gets  under- 
standing; '  Vice  ejus  et  scmitcB  omncs  sunt  amcencB 
atque  pacatcs'  which  means,  since  you  probably  do  not 
understand  Latin,  '  Her  ways  are  ways  of  pleasantness, 
and  all  her  paths  are  peace,'  is  also  applicable  to  the 
ways  and  paths  of  these  mountains  and  valleys.  More- 
over, I  will  not  deny  that  these  ways  and  paths  have 
long  constituted  my  favorite  walk,  because  I  have  often 
pursued  them  with  my  well-esteemed  cousin,  the  favor^ 


THE   NEW  LIFE. 


359 


ite  of  his  Electoral  Highness,  the  noble  Herr  von 
Langendorf." 

"  Did  this  Herr  von  Langendorf,"  asked  George, 
"  not  accompany  the  Elector  on  his  military  expedi- 
tion ?" 

"Of  course!"  replied  NuUenbrecher.  "His  Elec- 
toral Highness  could  not  dispense  with  the  company 
of  my  most  honored  cousin,  from  whom  I  received  a 
letter  only  yesterday,  in  which  he  assures  me  that  he 
continues  to  enjoy  good  health,  as  well  as  the  favor 
and  love  of  his  most  gracious  sovereign,  of  which, 
indeed,  those  only  can  be  deprived  who  are  wanting  in 
paying  proper  respect  to  His  Electoral  Highness,  and 
who,  under  the  pretence  of  exercising  pastoral  care, 
attempt  to  lord  it  over  their  sovereign.  But  in  Luke, 
the  fourteenth,  it  is  said:  'Quisquis  se  ipsiini  cvexcrit, 
dcprimeticr,'  which  means,  as  you  do  probably  not,  as  I 
have  already  remarked,  understand  Latin,  *  Whosoever 
exalteth  himself,  shall  be  abased.'  " 

"  What  you  mean  by  this,"  replied  George,  in  sup- 
pressed anger,  "is  not  difficult  to  guess.  But  you  have 
forgotten  the  other  half  of  the  verse,  which  reads  :  '  and 
he  that  humbleth  himself  shall  be  exalted.'  " 

"'Qui  s^  depresserit,  evehetiirf  Right,"  added  the 
Master.  "  If  I  neglected  to  cite  the  second  half  of  the 
passage,  it  was  done  from  motives  of  Christian  modesty, 
which  well  becomes  every  Christian,  but  more  especi- 
ally the  learned." 

George  was  greatly  tempted  to  return  a  suitable 
reply  to  this  self-complaisant  remark,  but  a  hasty 
glance  from  Elizabeth  warned  him  to  desist.  The  old 
man  appeared,  however,  of  a  different  opinion ;  with  a 


360  PHILIP P  JACOB   SPENER. 

boldness  which  was  before  altogether  foreign  to  him, 
he  said  to  the  Master,  "  Mr.  Nullenbrecher,  that  certain 
occurrences  have  dissolved  the  relations  formerly  ex- 
isting between  us,  must  already  be  evident  to  you, 
from  the  fact  that  you,  who,  in  the  days  of  my  pros- 
perity, were  my  daily  guest,  did  not  even  so  much  as 
inquire  after  me  in  the  days  of  my  adversity.  I  have 
heartily  pardoned  you  not  only  this,  but  also  all  other 
offences  against  me,  of  which  I  might  accuse  you, 
even  to  the  allusion  which  you  in  your  remarks  just 
now  appear  to  have  made  to  my  misfortunes.  But  if 
in  what  you  said  you  also  intend  to  lay  a  charge 
against  our  revered  Dr.  Spener,  and  cast  reproach 
upon  him,  I  pronounce  your  remarks  as  unjust  and 
unchristian  calumny," 

"Quid  tumiiltuantur  gentesf^  mumbled  Nullen- 
brecher to  himself,  and  then  continued  aloud,  "  Of 
course  you  cannot  speak  otherwise,  since  you  have 
become  a  Spenerite.  Only  inquire  in  the  dwellings  of 
the  noble  and  learned,  and  you  will  obtain  a  more  cor- 
rect estimate  of  the  court-chaplain,  or  more  properly, 
court-schoolmaster,  who  has  just  fallen  into  disgrace. 
However,  access  to  such  places  is  closed  to  you,  and 
that  now  more  than  ever." 

Before  the  deeply  mortified  goldsmith,  who  trembled 
all  over  with  anger,  could  reply,  George  began  by 
saying:  "Shame  on  you,  Master  Nullenbrecher,  for 
ridiculing  the  unfortunate !  You  who  boast  of  your 
wisdom  and  semi-nobility.     You — " 

"Dear  George!"  suddenly  exclaimed  Elizabeth,  with 
a  trembling  voice.     "You  forget  that  our  time  has  ex- 

*  Why  do  the  heathen  rage  ?     Psalms  ii.  i . 


THE   NEW  LIFE.  ^61 

pired.  Uncle  is  doubtless  relieved  from  his  occupation 
by  this  time.     Had  we  not  better  leave  ?" 

George  blushed,  for  he  knew  what  Elizabeth  meant. 
"You  are  right,"  he  replied,  "we  will  go.  Master 
Nullenbrecher,"  he  then  continued,  in  a  not  very  calm 
tone,  "  what  I  had  intended  to  tell  you  was  not  a  very 
agreeable  truth.  But  that  I  withhold  it,  you  owe  to 
the  tender-heartedness  of  my  dear  and  beloved  bride. 
Miss  Elizabeth  Guldenmeyer,  who  is  perhaps  not 
altogether  unknown  to  you.     And  so  farewell." 

And  with  these  words,  George  and  his  party  left 
the  room  as  hastily  as  possible.  The  Master,  with  a 
forced  smile,  affected  indifference,  and  said,  "  They  are 
pietists." 

But  we  will  leave  the  learned  Master  to  his  further 
monologues,  and  accompany  our  three  unlearned  wan- 
derers on  their  way. 

These  are  nearing  the  school-house.  According  to 
George's  arrangement,  the  father  and  daughter,  to 
whom  he  had  handed  the  picture,  remained  concealed 
behind  an  adjoining  house,  in  order,  afterwards,  to  steal 
secretly  into  Petermann's  dwelling,  and  thus  carry  out 
their  preconcerted  plan,  whilst  he  entered  the  school- 
house,  just  as  Petermatln  was  in  the  act  of  going  out. 
"God  bless  .you,  dear  uncle,"  he  called  out  to  him. 
"You  will  do  me  the  favor  to  turn  back.  I  come  to 
you  on  a  very  important  affair,  and  need  your  advice." 
And  before  Petermann  could  say  whether  he  would  or 
not,  George  had  forced  him  back  into  his  little  room, 
the  door  of  which  stood  accidentally  open,  and  into 
which  the  uncle  had  heretofore  never  admitted  him. 

"  What  is  this  ?"  exclaimed  George,  when  he  beheld, 
16 


262  PHILIP P  JACOB  SPENER. 

hanging  on  the  wall,  his  own  two  paintings — Spener, 
and  Elizabeth  at  her  devotions — disposed  of  by  Peter- 
mann.  "You,  then,  dear  uncle,  are  the  foreign  noble 
gentleman  who  bought  my  daubs.  And  from  you  too 
came  the  twice  fifty  guilders,  which  always  arrived  in 
the  very  time  of  need.  It  always  did  look  a  little 
suspicious  to  me,  that  you  each  time  succeeded  in 
effecting  a  sale,  just  when  I  had  parted  with  my  last 
penny.     Uncle,  you  are  a  noble  man." 

"  Nonsense  !"  replied  Petermann,  vexed,  and  with  his 
hands  crossed  over  his  back,  pacing  up  and  down  the 
room.  "  I — I  am  a  poor  schoolmaster,  and  have  no 
money  for  such  unnecessary  parlor  ornaments." 

"  But  how  did  you  get  these  pictures  ?"  asked 
George,  hesitatingly. 

"  How  I  got  them,  that  is  just  the  secret  which  need 
but  little  concern  you !"  answered  the  schoolmaster. 
"  On  the  other  hand,  it  concerns  me  to  know  what  has 
brought  you  here  to-day  ?" 

When  George  perceived  that  it  vexed  his  uncle  to 
hear  anything  said  about  the  pictures,  he  refrained  from 
questioning  him  further,  and  replied :  "  My  dear  and 
beloved  uncle,  though  you  look  cross  enough  to 
frighten  anybody,  you  still  lo^e  me,  and  that  too  a 
great  deal  more  than  I  deserve.  Hence,  nothing  is  left 
me  but  to  love  you  in  turn  with  all  my  heart,  and  to 
show  you  that  \  love  you.  You  have,  indeed,  kept 
secret  the  event  you  celebrate  to-day,  but  we  have 
nevertheless  found  it  out,  and  have  come  to  congratu- 
late you." 

"  Who  has  come  ?"  asked  Petermann. 

"  Well  !"  continued  jrcorge,  "  the  visitors  will  not  be 


THE   NEW  LIFE. 


363 


unwelcome  to  you.  Will  you  not  accompany  me  ?" 
And  with  this  he  took  him  by  the  arm,  and  drew  him, 
in  spite  of  his  resistance,  into  the  larger  room. 

Here  a  great  surprise  had,  indeed,  been  prepared  for 
him.  Spener's  life-size  likeness,  tastefully  decorated 
with  wreaths  and  festoons  of  flowers,  had  been  placed 
upon  the  table,  in  an  admirable  light.  Beside  it  stood 
Mr.  Guldenmeyer  and  his  daughter  Elizabeth. 

After  they  had  entered,  George  said,  "Dear  uncle, 
whom  this  picture  represents  our  grateful  hearts  tell  us. 
It  is  a  copy  of  the  picture,  which,  through  your  assist- 
ance, I  painted  for  the  Count,  and  for  which  Father 
Spener  sat.  Now,  since  you,  my  dear  uncle,  scarcely 
love  and  esteem  any  one  on  earth  more  than  our  rever- 
end Doctor,  I  thought  of  giving  you,  on  this,  the  anni- 
versary of  your  birth-day,  a  real  pleasure,  by  placing 
the  man  who  is  lastingly  enshrined  in  your  heart,  vis- 
ibly before  your  eyes.  I,  of  course,  did  not  know,"  he 
added,  half  in  jest  and  half  in  earnest,  "  that  you  had 
expended  fifty  guilders  in  the  purchase  of  a  miserable 
daub  of  a  likeness  of  the  most  godly  man  of  our 
time." 

"My  dear,  good  Mr,  Petermann,"  now  began  Eliz- 
abeth, when  George  had  ceased  speaking,  and  the 
schoolmaster  stood  there  in  great  embarrassment,  "  it 
is  true  you  can  pretend  to  be  so  very  sullen  and  cross, 
that  one  feels  almost  afraid  of  you ;  moreover,  you 
communicated  to  me,  nearly  a  year  ago,  something 
about  a  certain  George  Guldenmeyer,  for  which  I  have 
sometimes  been  greatly  displeased  with  you;  and  when 
you  visit  Dresden,  you  also  frequently  forget  to  ask  us 
how  we  are,  and  whether  we  are  still  angry  with  you, 


364  PHIL  IP P  JACOB  SPENER. 

and  whether  I  am  still  determined  to  give  my  hand  to 
your  sainted  sister's  son  who  has  stolen  my  heart;  for 
all  this,  and  much  more,  I  tried  to  be  very  angry  with 
you,  but  then,  when  I  saw  you  again,  at  Dr.  Spener's 
examina,  how  you  drank  in  every  word  he  uttered; 
how  at  particular  passages,  the  tears  would  glisten  in 
your  eyes ;  and  how  you  would,  now  and  then,  cast  a 
stolen  glance  at  me,  whilst  you  were,  perhaps,  at  the 
same  time,  carrying  a  certain  fifty  guilders  in  your 
pocket,  with  which  you  would  afterwards,  as  a  genuine 
doer  of  the  Word,  hasten  to  a  certain  small  room, 
occupied  by  a  certain  impoverished  and  sorely  stricken 
family,  and  then — then " 

Here  Elizabeth  faltered,  unable  to  proceed  further. 
Fearing  that  she  might  be  overcome  by  her  feelings, 
she  had  begun  her  remarks  in  a  tone  of  pleasantry,  but 
her  strength  failed  her,  and  she  finally  broke  down  in 
the  attempt,  and  throwing  her  arms  around  her  father's 
neck,  she  hid  her  burning  face  in  his  bosom. 

Petermann  paced  the  floor  with  rapid  strides,  crossed 
and  re-crossed  his  hands  over  his  back,  and  murmured 
angrily  to  himself,  "  Nonsense !" 

Then  the  aged  goldsmith  took  up  the  conversation, 
and  said:  "Andrew,,  when  Beata  shall  accuse  me  before 
the  throne  of  Eternal  Justice,  will  you  not  then  unite 
in  interceding  for  me  by  saying,  '  Sister,  forgive  him ! 
He  knew  not  God,  therefore,  he  sinned  against  man.' 
Will  you  do  this,  Andrew  ?" 

But  Andrew,  instead  of  a  reply,  silently  extended  his 
hand  to  the  artisan,  and,  in  a  moment,  both  men  were 
lying  in  each  other's  arms,  cementing  anew,  this  time 
as    sorely  tried   men,  the    bond   of  sincere   friendship. 


THE   NEW  LIFE. 


365 


Rut  the  quiet  joy  of  this  small  company  was  inter- 
rupted by  the  noise  of  a  carriage  halting,  just  then,  in 
front  of  the  house,  and  before  any  of  them  had  time  to 
see  what  it  meant,  the  door  opened,  and  the  court- 
chaplain  entered  with,  "  The  Lord  be  with  you,  dear 
people." 

Agreeably  surprised,  all  started  up,  but  not  one  of 
them  could  find  words  to  return  the  salutation.  When 
Spener  continued:  "I  had  no  intention  of  disturbing 
you.  Since,  however,  my  way  led  me  past  the  dwell- 
ing of  my  dear  Mr.  Petermann,  I  felt  constrained  to 
spend  a  few  moments  in  the  company  of  my  honest 
Christian  schoolmaster.  But  what  is  this  ?"•  he  sud- 
denly exclaimed,  as  his  eyes  fell  upon  the  decorated 
picture,  and  a  shade  of  sorrow  darkened  his  counte- 
nance. "Dear  people,  what  idolatry  is  this  you  are 
practicing?" 

"Not  idolatry,  reverend  Doctor!"  replied  Petermann. 
"It  is  only  a  sincere  homage  paid  to  a  man  whose  like- 
ness does  not  need  to  be  placed  before  the  bodily  eye, 
since  all  of  us  hold  him  enshrined  in  our  hearts.  How- 
ever, this  pleasure  has  unexpectedly  been  prepared  for 
me  by  my  nephew." 

"  Ay,  ay,  my  young  friend,"  said  the  court-chaplain, 
turning  to  George  ;  "  did  you  not  tell  me  that  you 
wanted  to  paint  my  likeness  for  an  altogether  different 
gentleman." 

"Certainly,  reverend  sir,"  answered  George,  blushing 
deeply;  "so  I  did,  and  what  you  here  see  is  only  a 
copy  of  the  other,  and  I  painted  this  for  my  dear  uncle 
because  I  knew  that  I  could  make  him  no  more  accept- 
able and  valued  present  on  his  birthday  than  this," 


366  PIIILIPP  JACOB   SPENER. 

"Your  birth-day!"  exclaimed  Spener,  turning  to 
Petermann.  "  Then  was  my  visit  indeed  opportune ! 
The  Lord's  blessing  rest  upon  you,  my  dear  friend. 
With  what  gratitude  must  you  look  back  upon  your 
past  life !" 

"  With  the  gratitude  of  one  who  has  been  brought 
from  darkness  to  light!"  replied  the  schoolmaster. 
"  Yes,  reverend  Doctor!  I  may  well  say  so,  when  I 
think  back  on  the  time  of  my  hard  captivity,  when,  car- 
ried about,  like  a  reed,  by  every  wind  of  doctrine,  and 
by  the  slight  of  men  and  cunning  craftiness,  I  wandered 
in  the  midst  of  the  land  of  the  Lord,  as  in  a  desert,  un- 
til God,  through  you,  opened  my  eyes.  I  can  never 
forget  (for  it  was  the  date  of  my  regeneration),  when 
you,  reverend  sir,  during  the  spring  of  last  year,  in  the 
course  of  one  of  your  examina,  said  of  true  repentance 
and  conversion,  that  such  must  be  from  the  very  bot- 
tom of  the  heart,  and  that  thereby  man  often  becomes 
a  hypocrite  before  God  and  man,  and  that,  accordingly, 
true  repentance  is  not  so  easy  as  is  supposed,  and  that 
it  requires  not  only  a  knowledge  of  one's  great  and 
grievous  guilt,  but  also  a  sincere  sorrow  for  sin,  and  an 
entire  change  of  heart,  which  sanctifies  the  whole  man, 
and  presents  him  as  one  born  again  through  the  Spirit 
of  the  Lord.  Ah,  every  one  of  your  words  entered 
my  heart  like  molten  iron ;  I  at  once  saw  myself  in  all 
my  nothingness  in  the  sight  of  God.  My  past  life  ap- 
peared to  me  as  time  lost,  and  as  many  days  as  I  num- 
bered, so  many  accusers  rose  up  before  the  throne  of 
the  Judge  of  all  the  earth,  saying,  'Judge  him  accord- 
ing to  his  deserts.'  In  my  distress  I  had  nothing  but 
tears  to  offer,  the  first  I  had  shed  for  many  years,  and 


THE   NEW  LIFE. 


367 


the  first  I  had  ever  shed  for  myself.  I  imagined  that 
my  condemnation  in  the  house  of  God  was  witnessed 
by  none,  save  Him  who  knows  our  thoughts  afar  off, 
and  sees  in  secret ;  but  God  directed  your  eyes,  rever- 
end sir,  so  that  you  saw  my  tears,  and  took  compassion 
on  me.  For,  after  the  examina,  you  called  me  to  you, 
and  like  a  true  friend  and  physician  of  souls,  inquired 
after  the  condition  of  my  inner  man.  And  I  opened  to 
you  my  whole  heart,  and  you  addressed  to  me  words 
of  consolation,  such  as  I  had  not  imagined  man  capable 
of  uttering,  and  unloosed  in  that  hour  all  the  fetters  of 
my  degrading  slavery  which  I  had  borne  till  then,  vol- 
untarily and  in  great  blindness. 

"It  was  not  my  work  and  word,"  said  the  court-chap- 
lain, "  but  that  of  the  good  Spirit  of  God  who  guided 
you  into  His  truth.  We  serve  one  another  only  in  His 
name  and  in  obedience  to  His  command,  and  can  im- 
part to  others  only  what  we  have  first  received  from 
Him.  And  you,  dear  Mr.  Guldenmeyer,"  he  continued, 
turning  to  the  goldsmith,  "  you  have  also  passed  a 
season  of  severe  trials.  You  are  to  be  accounted  happy 
in  having  endured  them." 

"A  thousand  thanks  to  you,  reverend  sir,"  added  the 
goldsmith,  "  that  you  did  not  disdain  to  enter  the  house 
of  an  unfortunate  citizen,  that  you  did  not  break  the 
bruised  reed  and  quench  the  smoking  flax,  but  kindly 
and  mercifully  raised  me  up,  at  a  time  when  I  was 
almost  in  despair.  Oh !  how  can  I  ever  sufficiently 
thank  you  for  this  ?" 

"I  desire  no  thanks,"  replied  Spener,  with  a  smile, 
"  except  that  when  in  your  prayers  you  think  of  others, 
you  may  also  remember  me  before  God." 


368  PHILIP P  JACOB   SPENER. 

"  This  I  would  have  to  do,"  replied  the  goldsmith, 
"even  though  I  should  be  unwilling;  for  I  owe  it  to 
you  that  I  am  again  able  to  pray.  Reverend  sir, 
though  I  should  live  a  thousand  years,  I  could  never 
forget  that  dreadful  hour,  in  which  my  poor  child, 
dangerously  wounded  by  my  own  hand,  must  have  ac- 
cused me  before  God ;  nor  that  other  burden,  which 
weighed  upon  my  conscience,  and  " 

"But,  dear  father,"  timidly  interrupted  Elizabeth, 
"can  you  still  believe  that  I  accused  you,  as  you  say, 
before  God,  even  by  one  syllable  ?  I  would  not  give 
the  afflictions  which  we  have  suffered  within  this  year, 
for  all  the  happiness  in  the  world ;  for  now  I  have  ex- 
perienced, and  you  have  experienced  with  me,  that 
those  who  sow  in  tears,  shall  most  certainly  and  truly, 
reap  in  joy." 

"  God  preserve  you  in  this  joyous  faith,  my  pious 
child !"  said  the  court-chaplain  to  the  maiden.  "  I 
have  known  but  few  maidens  to  whom,  at  so  early  an 
age,  the  Lord  has  vouchsafed  such  joy  in  believing. 
Happy  the  man  who  wins  your  love  and  respect,  and  is 
permitted  to  share  with  you  the  joys  and  sorrows 
of  life." 

Elizabeth  blushed  crimson,  and  dropped  her  eyes,  as 
if  she  had  committed  a  crime.  But  Petermann,  who 
generally  knew  how  to  throw  people  into  a  painful 
state  of  embarrassment,  came  this  time  to  the  rescue, 
by  saying:  "That  happy  man  has  already  been  found, 
reverend  sir.  My  nephew,  here,  whom  God  Himself 
has  selected  for  her,  and  whose  history  I  have  recently 
communicated  to  you,  has  gained  Elizabeth's  respect 
and  love,  and  father  Guldenmeyer  has  the  comfortable 


THE   NEW  LIFE.  ^60 

hope  that  my  sainted  sister,  George's  mother,  will  bless 
him  for  having  freely  given  his  paternal  consent." 

"God  bless  you,  too,  my  dear  children!"  said 
Spener,  joining  George's  and  Elizabeth's  hands.  "Con- 
tinue in  this  faithful,  truly  Christian  friendship  to  the 
end ;  bear  one  another's  burdens  in  the  spirit  of  meek- 
ness and  keep  mutually  in  the  way  that  leads  to  eternal 
life.  Be  and  remain  each  to  the  other  a  mirror  and 
admonition  of  communion  with  the  Son  of  God,  our 
Redeemer.  Build  up  one  another  into  a  temple  of  the 
Holy  Ghost;  comfort  one  another  by  mutual  prayer. 
May  your  house  be  a  sanctuary  for  the  Lord,  and  your 
final  separation  in  death  the  sure  seal  of  your  hope  to 
meet  again  in  the  everlasting  mansions  on  high." 

"Amen!  Amen!"  exclaimed  the  goldsmith,  weeping 
like  a  child.  But  Petermann  hastily  unlocked  his 
desk,  took  from  it  a  document,  and  handed  it  to  Eliza- 
beth, with  the  words,  "  One's  own  hearth  is  worth  its 
weight  in  gold,  my  daughter.  After  a  great  deal  of 
trouble,  I  finally  succeeded  about  a  week  ago,  in  pur- 
chasing a  house  in  Pirna  street,  which  formerly  be- 
longed to  a  certain  Mr.  Guldenmeyer;  and,  since  I 
have  no  use  for  it  myself,  I  have  caused  the  deed  to  be 
made  out  in  your  name.  Here,  take  the  paper!  and 
if  the  house  should  be  too  large  for  you  two,  why  then 
you  may  set  apart  a  room  for  Mr.  Guldenmeyer  and 
the  ill-natured  and  cranky  Andrew  Petermann,  should 
he,  now  and  then,  wish  to  spend  a  night  in  Dresden." 

"Andrew !"  exclaimed  the  goldsmith,  throwing  him- 
self weeping  on  his  breast,  "you  are  heaping  coals  of 
fire  upon  my  head.     Can  you  pardon  me  my  despond- 
ency, my  distrust,  my  doubts  ?" 
16* 


370  PHILTPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

"  Sigismund!"  replied  the  schoolmaster,  "when  you, 
last  autumn,  visited  me  for  the  purpose  of  asking  mc 
to  assist  you,  I  told  you  it  was  too  late,  but,  God 
knows,  that  in  my  heart  I  said  it  was  too  soon.  And 
my  hope  of  being  able  to  answer  to  God  for  my  apparent 
hard-heartedness,  is  evidenced  in  the  joy  with  which  I 
can  now  say,  '  To-day  is  just  the  proper  time.'  " 

Elizabeth  and  George  had  become  almost  speechless 
for  joy.  George  with  folded  hands  was  gazing  with 
a  dreamy  smile  upon  vacancy.  Elizabeth  was  the  first 
to  regain  her  voice ;  and,  turning  to  the  schoolmaster, 
she  said :  "  May  God  reward  you  for  your  love,  for  I 
cannot  do  it;  for  my  indebtedness  to  you  is  greater 
than  I  can  repay  you  in  a  life-time.  But  what  shall  I 
say  to  you,  reverend  sir?"  she  continued,  addressing 
herself  to  the  court-chaplain.  "  You  are  the  author  of 
my  actual,  true  life — my  life  in  God — through  my  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  Through  you,  the  Scriptures  and  the 
Christian's  hope  have  first  been  opened  to  me.  To  you 
I  owe  that  my  father  has  again  taken  me  to  his  recon- 
ciled heart.  To  you  I  owe  that  my  dear  George,  long 
my  precious  friend,  may  now  be  the  partner  of  my 
earthly  life.  To  you  I  owe  that  my  dear  Uncle  Peter- 
mann,  who  was  first  led  by  you  to  the  Lord,  did  not 
forsake  us  in  the  hour  of  need ;  and  that  at  last  we,  too, 
were  found  faithful,  so  far  as  it  is  possible  for  us  frail 
mortals  to  be.  Wherever  I  look,  I  find  that  your 
words  enlightened,  strengthened,  and  comforted '  us, 
that  your  hand  guided  and  blessed  us.  All  of  us  are 
your  debtors.  My  most  sincerely  revered,  paternal 
friend  and  instructor,  what  can  we  ever  do  to  repay 
you  ?" 


THE   NEW  LIFE.  ^^I 

The  court-chaplain  was  evidently  deeply  affected, 
so  that  he  seemed,  for  the  moment,  at  a  loss  to  find 
language  to  express  his  feelings.  At  length  he  laid  his 
hand  upon  the  maiden's  head,  and  said:  "  Not  to  me, 
Elizabeth,  not  to  me,  but  give  the  glory  to  Him  who  is 
able  to  do  exceeding  abundantly  above  all  that  we  ask 
or  think.  For  no  man  can  say  but  by  the  Holy  Ghost 
that  Jesus  Christ  is  Lord.  The  good  Spirit  of  the 
LjDrd  lead  you  into  the  land  of  uprightness." 

And,  hereupon,  he  shook  all  present  by  the  hand, 
bade  them  a  kind  good-by  and  left  the  room.  When 
he  reached  the  front  door,  he  found  a  new  surprise 
awaiting  him.  A  large  number  of  the  villagers  had 
congregated  about  the  house;  for,  as  soon  as  it  had 
become  known  that  the  court-chaplain  was  with  the 
schoolmaster,  both  old  and  young  hastened  to  see  and 
greet  the  beloved  man.  As  Spener  stepped  to  the 
door,  all  the  men  took  off  their  caps  and  the  wom-en 
greeted  him.  They  had  blocked  up  the  space  between 
the  house  and  carriage  so  completely  that  Spener 
could  not  get  through.  The  timid,  modest  man  stood 
there,  altogether  at  a  loss  what  to  do,  when  an  aged 
man  from  the  crowd  called  out,  "  Reverend  sir,  give  us 
your  blessing !" 

"Dear  people!"  spoke  the  court-chaplain,  "I  have 
no  other  words  of  blessing  for  you  than  such  as  I  have 
for  myself  May  the  word  of  the  Lord  be  a  lamp 
unto  our  feet,  and  a  light  unto  our  path.  Endeavor 
always  to  obtain  a  right  understanding  of  the  divine 
will,  recognize  it  in  all  the  events  of  your  lives,  and 
especially  in  those  which  are  brought  about  without 
your  instrumentality  and  prayers.     Rejoice  in  tribula- 


372  PHILIP P  yACOB  SPENER. 

tions,  for  they  are  sent  to  you  by  God  to  try  you, 
whether  you  will  also  be  faithful  to  Him  in  the  day  of 
adversity.  Seek  the  strength  to  endure  in  the  world, 
not  in  yourselves,  but  in  Him  whose  strength  shall  be 
made  perfect  in  our  weakness;  and  grow  up,  in  all 
things,  into  Him  who  is  the  Head,  even  Christ.  Re- 
member that  only  then  will  it  be  well  with  you  and 
your  families,  when  you  build  yourselves  on  your  most 
holy  faith,  and  walk  together  in  love.  Be,  therefore, 
doers,  and  not  hearers  only,  of  the  Word  which  your 
worthy  pastor  proclaims  to  you.  And  the  very  God 
of  peace  sanctify  you  wholly;  and,  I  pray  God,  your 
whole  spirit  and  soul  and  body  be  preserved  blameless 
unto  the  coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Faithful  is 
He  that  calleth  you,  who  also  will  do  it." 

When  Spener  ceased,  and  was  moving  toward  his 
carriage,  the  throng  increased,  every  one  endeavoring 
to  approach  near  enough  to  take  hold  of  his  hand.  At 
length  he  succeeded  in  getting  into  his  carriage,  which 
now  moved  off  at  a  more  rapid  rate  than  usual,  as  if 
the  good  man  was  ashamed  of  the  marks  of  distinction 
he  had  just  received. 


CHAPTER    XXI. 

A  CALL  FROM  THE  NORTH. 

"Wherefore,  brethren,  look  ye  out  men  of  honest  report,  full  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  and  wisdom,  whom  we  may  appoint  over  this  business." — 
Acts  vi.  3. 

IN  the  autumn  of  the  same  year  (1689),  we  see  two 
young  men,  in  somewhat  foreign  dress,  moving  along 
Schloss  street  and  inquiring  anxiously  after  the  resi- 
dence of  the  court-chaplain.  After  it  had  been  pointed 
out  to  them,  they  entered.  The  famulus  announced 
them  to  the  Doctor  as  two  Swedish  gentlemen,  who 
had  been  commissioned  to  lay  certain  proposals  before 
him ;  and  though  it  was  not  the  usual  hour  in  which 
Spener,  owing  to  his  many  and  continually  accumulat- 
ing engagements,  was  in  the  habit  of  admitting  visitors, 
yet  he  ordered  them  to  be  immediately  presented. 

The  two  young  gentlemen  gave  evidence,  by  their 
entire  bearing,  that  they  were  men  of  refinement  and 
education,  and  their  exterior  showed  at  a  glance  that 
they  bore  the  stamp  of  true  nobility.  Upon  entering, 
they  bowed  to  the  court-chaplain  with  unfeigned  rever- 
ence, whilst  one  of  them  addressed  him  in  much  purer 
German  than  is  spoken  in  southern  Germany  at  least, 
by  saying : 

"  Yes,  reverend  sir,  you  must  be  he.  With  just  such 
a  look  of  kindness  and  affection  as  you  now  bear,  my 
master  has  pictured  you  to  himself  God's  blessing 
upon  you,  dear  sir !" 

(373) 


274  PHIL  IP  P  JACOB  SPENER. 

"  How  is  it  possible  for  you  to  recognize  me  in  this 
way?"  asked  Spener  in  surprise,  and  with  flushed 
cheeks. 

"Ah,  reverened  sir!"  was  the  reply,  "you  have  no 
conception  with  what  joy  your  name  is  pronounced, 
and  with  what  avidity  your  writings  are  read.  If  only 
a  thousandth  part  of  the  good  wishes  which  are  offered 
to  God  in  your  behalf  be  realized,  your  life  must  pass 
away  in  perfect  happiness." 

"  God  forbid !"  replied  Spener,  "  that  this  should  be 
so;  for  as  long  as  I  suffer  affliction,  I  know  that  God 
still  loves  me.  But  should  I  be  permitted  to  go  en- 
tirely undisturbed,  and  should  my  life  be  one  of  con- 
tinued worldly  pleasure  and  enjoyment,  how  could  I  be 
assured  of  the  love  and  favor  of  God  ?  No,  dear  sirs, 
it  is  wisely  ordered  by  the  Lord  of  lords,  that  here  we 
only  anticipate  that  which  is  perfect,  but  which  we  can 
behold  by  faith,  as  prefigured  in  the  holy  life  of  our 
Saviour,  so  that  the  desire  for  a  new  heaven  and  a  new 
earth  may  become  stronger  within  us  !  But,  first  of  all, 
be  seated :  and  then,  what  is  your  wish  ?  " 

One  of  them  now  delivered  a  letter  to  the  court- 
chaplain,  with  the  words,  "  We  bring  you  kind  greeting 
from  our  gracious  Queen.  You  will,  perhaps,  be 
pleased  to  confer  with  us  further  in  reference  to  its  con- 
tents." 

"A  similar  greeting,"  added  the  other,  at  the  same 
time  handing  him  a  second  letter,  "  I  bring  you  from 
the  Aulic  counselor,  Pufendorf,  of  Berlin,  oW  whom  we 
called,  in  obedience  to  the  special  command  of  our 
Queen,  as  well  as  because  he  is  an  old  acquaintance  of 
your  reverence." 


A    CALL    FROM   THE  NORTH. 


375 


Spener  took  the  letters,  asked  permission  to  read 
them,  and  in  doing  so,  stepped  near  the  window.  When 
he  had  finished,  his  countenance  was  overspread  with  a 
melancholy  joy,  and  he  said :  "  Noble  sirs,  the  contents 
of  these  letters  affect  me  deeply.  I  confess  to  you,  that 
the  proposal  they  contain  has  been  made  contrary  to 
any  and  every  expectation  on  my  part." 

"  But,"  remarked  the  second  gentleman,  "  you  will 
give  us  hope  of  its  acceptance  ?" 

"  God  knows,"  replied  the  court-chaplain,  "  that  it  is 
altogether  out  of  my  power  to  give  you,  at  this  mo- 
ment, a  decided  answer.  Herr  von  Pufendorf  asks  me, 
as  you  are  aware,  whether  I  am  disposed  to  accept  a 
call  to  the  pastorate  of  the  German  Church  at  Stock- 
holm, and  Her  Royal  Majesty  deigns  to  express  the 
same  desire  on  her  part.  I  am  at  a  loss  to  comprehend 
how  it  comes  that  such  a  distinguished  honor  is  con- 
ferred upon  me,  since  there  are  many  other  servants  of 
Christ  who  are  much  more  worthy  of  it  than  I  am. 
And  if  I  had  the  honor  of  being  better  known  to  Herr 
von  Pufendorf,  he  scarcely  would  have  addressed  me 
on  the  subject  of  a  call." 

"And  why  not,  reverend  Doctor?"  asked  the  first, 
"Pardon  me,  but  are  you  not  the  principal  person 
to  be  addressed  ?  Must  not  your  consent  first  be 
obtained  ?" 

"  My  consent  ?"  asked  the  court-chaplain,  with  a 
serious  smile.  "  Dear  sirs,  I  have,  in  obedience  to  the 
will  of  God,  been  already  obliged  to  submit  to  two 
changes ;  but  as  long  as  proposals  and  negotiations 
were  attempted  with  me,  personally,  nothing  ever  came 
of  it;    but  the  difficulty  was   thereby  only  increased. 


T^y^  PHILIP P  JACOB  SPENER 

When,  however,  at  length,  a  call  was  actually  sent  me, 
which  was  done  in  a  manner  contrary  to  the  custom 
of  all  royal  courts,  it  was  then  that  not  my  counsel,  but 
God's,  prevailed ;  for  I  do  not  deny  that  I  would  each 
time  have  preferred  a  different  result.  Yet  I  regarded 
it  my  bounden  duty  to  submit  to  the  will  of  the  Lord ; 
and  since  I  have  thus  far  never  entered  upon  a  charge 
of  my  own  accord,  I  have  also  never  experienced  any 
regret,  however  heavy  the  burden  which  the  Lord  has 
thereby  always  laid  upon  my  conscience." 

"  What,  then,  are  we  to  do  ?"  asked  both  gentlemen, 
simultaneously,  and  in  a  tone  of  painful  disappointment. 
"Are  we  to  understand  you  as  unconditionally  refusing 
compliance  with  our  proposal  ?" 

"  I  venture  neither  a  refusal  nor  an  acceptance," 
replied  Spener;  "for  it  is  my  fixed  determination  to 
pursue,  in  all  matters  affecting  a  change,  the  same 
course  which  I  have  always  heretofore  pursued ;  and 
that  is,  never  to  take  it  into  my  own  hands,  by  follow- 
ing my  own  choice.  Should  an  actual  call  be  extended 
to  me,  and  should  I,  after  having  honestly  considered 
it,  be  persuaded  that  it  is  the  Lord's  doing,  it  then 
remains  no  longer  a  matter  of  choice,  for  the  recogni- 
tion of  the  will  of  God  at  once  decides  the  question. 
And  when  this  is  done,  I  must  needs  go  whither  the 
Lord  calls  me." 

"  According  to  this,  then,"  remarked  the  second 
gentleman,  "  it  would,  first  of  all,  be  necessary,  on  our 
part,  to  see  to  it  that  a  call  be  extended  to  you  ?" 

"  I  can  not  even  decide  as  to  this  !"  replied  the  court- 
chaplain.  "  It  does  not  become  me  either  to  invite  you 
to  do  so,  or  to  dissuade  you  from  it." 


A    CALL   FROM   THE   NORTH.  oyy 

"  Pardon  me,  reverend  sir,"  continued  the  same 
gentleman  ;  "  are  you  not,  perhaps,  already  disinclined 
to  accept  of  a  situation  which  a  congregation,  anxious 
for  salvation,  tenders  you  ?" 

"Certainly  not,  noble  sir,"  answered  Spener.  "The 
aulic  counselor  writes  me  that  the  German  congrega- 
tion in  question,  is  very  large,  and  that  it  consists 
mostly  of  plain  citizens ;  and  since  God  has  given  me 
more  courage  and  tact  to  deal  with  these  than  with 
great  princes  and  noble  gentlemen,  it  is  but  natural 
that  I  should  be  prepossessed  in  its  favor.  Moreover, 
the  elders  of  that  church  are  to  be  chosen  from  its  own 
members,  with  whom  the  pastor  might  confer  upon 
whatever  appertains  to  the  government  of  the  church ; 
an  arrangement  which  would  be  most  acceptable  to 
me,  and  which,  in  my  opinion,  is  most  in  accordance 
with  the  design  of  Christ.  And,  if  so,  in  addition  to 
all  this,  it  be  true  what  Herr  von  Pufendorf  appears  to 
intimate,  namely,  that  the  ministers  of  that  congrega- 
tion have  nothing  to  do  with  the  confessional  and  with 
whatever  may  be  therewith  connected,  I  would  regard 
this  circumstance  as  an  additional  inducement  on  my 
part,  to  accept  the  situation.  For,  in  order  to  be 
released  from  attending  at  the  confessional,  I  would 
rather  perform  twice  the  amount  of  labor  elsewhere. 
You  see,  therefore,  noble  sirs,  that  I  am,  personally, 
not  disinclined  to  accept  the  position  in  question." 

"  Though  we  are  residents  of  Stockholm,"  remarked 
the  first  gentleman,  "and  though  we  read  with  great 
pleasure  and  devout  attention,  Germa-n  devotional 
books,  especially  those  written  by  Arndt  and  yourself, 
circumstances  do,  nevertheless,  not  allow  us  to  belong 


-,•78  nilLIPP   JACOB   SPENER. 

to  the  German  congregation,  for  which  reason  we  are 
not  so  intimately  acquainted  with  its  regulations.  We, 
therefore,  in  obedience  to  the  advice  of  our  gracious 
Queen,  requested  Herr  von  Pufendorf,  who  resided 
about  sixteen  years  in  Stockholm,  to  place  you  in 
possession  of  all  the  particulars,  and  we  doubt  not  that 
whatever  that  noble  gentleman  has  communicated  to 
you  is  strictly  correct.  There,  reverend  sir,  there,  in 
our  de^r  fatherland,  you  will  find  kindlier  people  than 
here." 

"  Do  you  think,"  replied  Spener,  with  a  slight  smile, 
"  that  I  have  met  with  no  kind  people  here  ?" 

"  Oh,  certainly  you  have  !"  replied  the  other.  "  But 
permit  me  to  speak  frankly.  When  we  left  home, 
every  one  who  had  learned  to  know  you  through  your 
labors,  blessed  your  name  ;  but  as  soon  as  we  stepped 
on  German  soil,  we  seldom  heard  any  one  speak  of 
you  in  terms  of  praise,  without  at  the  same  time  also 
hearing  some  one  else  speak  of  you  in  terms  of  con- 
demnation; and  the  nearer  we  approached  Saxony, 
and  finally  this  very  city,  the  more  violent  enemies  and 
opponents  of  your  person  and  labors  did  we  meet. 
This  may,  of  course,  be  principally  owing  to  the  dis- 
pleasure of  the  Elector!  But,  reverend  sir,  how  ignoble, 
how  ungrateful,  how  unjust !  And  I  think  that,  in  our 
country,  such  treatment  would  be  impossible." 

Spener  smilingly  shook  his  head,  and  said  :  "Young 
gentlemen,  wheat  and  tares  grow  together  everywhere. 
That,  however,  my  enemies  inveigh  more  against  my 
person  than  my  labors,  is  to  me  a  source  of  painful 
regret,  in  so  far  as  it  shows  that  they  find  much  that  is 
worthy  of  censure  in  me ;  though    God   knows   with 


A    CALL    FROM   THE   NORTH. 


379 


what  earnestness  and  assiduity  I  labor  to  become  more 
and  more  undeserving  of  it.  Yet  I  would  rather  have 
them  inveigh  against  me  than  my  work,  for  this  affords 
me  the  comforting  assurance,  that  this  is  better  than  T 
am.  And  if  I  prove  myself,  by  my  work,  a  faithful 
friend  to  a  few,  or  even  to  many  souls  anxious  for  salva- 
tion, why  should  I  not,  for  the  pleasure  thus  afforded, 
gratefully  submit  to  some  injuries  against  my  person? 
And  what  you,  noble  sir,  said  touching  the  displeasure 
of  His  Electoral  Highness,  is  indeed  true ;  yet  I  have, 
for  some  months,  experienced  no  additional  proofs  of 
it,  so  that  it  seems  as  if  my  gracious  sovereign  de- 
signed to  restore  me  again  to  his  favor." 

"You  put  the  most  favorable  construction  upon 
everything,"  remarked  the  first  gentleman ;  "  and 
there  is,  of  course,  nothing  to  be  said  against  it.  But 
tell  me  how  we  can  induce  you  to  go  with  us,  to  our 
dear,  beautiful  Stockholm." 

"  I  have,  noble  sir,"  replied  the  court-chaplain,  with 
great  seriousness,  "  already  told  you  that  nothing  can 
induce  me  to  consent  to  change  the  field  of  my  labors, 
save  the  conviction  that  it  is  the  will  of  God.  If,  how- 
ever," he  added,  with  a  smile,  "  I  would  still  further 
confer  with  flesh  and  blood,  I  might  also  find  as  many 
objections  to  my  going,  as  I  have  already  found  argu- 
ments in  its  favor," 

"What  might  these  be,  reverend  Doctor?"  asked 
the  second,  with  some  surprise  and  anxiety. 

"  I  have  reached,"  replied  Spener,  "by  the  grace  of 
God,  the  fifty-fifth  year  of  my  life,  and  am  beginning  to 
feel  that  my  bodily  strength  is  failing.  Accordingly, 
it  would  be  a  very  important  question  with  me,  whether 


380  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

I,  after  having  thus  far  spent  all  my  days  in  a  mild 
climate,  could  expose  myself,  frail  as  I  already  am,  to 
a  rougher  climate,  and  begin  an  entirely  different  mode 
of  life,  without  danger  to  my  health.  I  know,  indeed, 
that  life  and  health  are  in  the  Lord's  hand ;  and,  I  can, 
moreover,  truly  say,  that  I  am  willing,  at  any  time,  to 
sacrifice  both,  if  He  should  require  it;  but  just  because 
the  will  of  the  Lord  has  not  yet  been  revealed  to  me 
in  this  affair,  and  in  regard  to  which  other  and  more 
distinguished  individuals  must  necessarily  also  be  first 
consulted,  I  have  still  my  doubts  whether,  after  all,  it 
would  not  be  tempting  the  Lord  to  undertake  any- 
thing when  it  is  evident  that  we  are  physically  unfitted 
for  it ;  and  in  such  a  case  we  have  no  right  to  expect 
that  God  will  perform  a  miracle." 

"  How  conscientious  you  are,"  said  the  first.  "  O, 
why  do  not  all  men  thus  examine  in  all  their  undertak- 
ings, what  is  divine  and  what  is  human  !" 

"  This  should  certainly  be  so,"  added  Spener.  "  For 
as  long  as  God  does  not  reveal  to  us  His  will,  in  every 
respect,  so  clearly  and  distinctly  that  there  can  no 
longer  be  any  doubt  on  our  part  in  regard  to  it,  so  long 
should  every  one,  and  particularly  a  Christian  minister, 
who,  especially  in  these  troublous  times,  is  anxious  to 
depart  and  be  with  Christ,  make  it  an  invariable  rule, 
wherever  he  is  required,  to  prefer  the  interest  of  others 
to  his  own  wishes,  to  look  as  much  as  possible,  and  as 
far  as  human  precaution  may  enable  him  to  do  so,  to 
the  preservation  of  his  life — not  so  much  for  his  own 
sake  as  for  the  sake  of  others.  Accordingly,  youT 
countrymen,  who  desire  to  have  me,  would  have  done 
better  by  sending  me  a  call,  without  first  consulting  mc 


A    CALL   FROM    THE  NOR  TIL  33  j 

on  the  subject;  for  I  will  not  deny,  that  such  a  call, 
coming  to  me  without  any  previous  knowledge  of  it  on 
my  part,  would  at  once  have  been  regarded  by  me  as  a 
strong  evidence  that  it  was  agreeable  to  the  divine  will; 
and  doubts,  such  as  I  have  expressed,  would  never  have 
entered  my  mind.  And  in  the  event  of  this  having 
been  done,  everything  would  have  depended  upon  my 
dismissal  here,  on  which  I  can  neither  base  an  accept- 
ance nor  a  refusal,  but  would  be  obliged  to  commit  all 
to  the  divine  guidance." 

"We  are  only  now  beginning  to  feel,"  said  the  sec- 
ond, "  how  little  we  have  reflected  on  the  importance 
of  our  commission,  and  how  we  were  only  too  sanguine 
in  our  hopes  of  success.  We  understand,  then,  that 
you,  reverend  sir,  dismiss  us  with  a  positive  refusal  ?" 

"  How  could  I  do  that,  my  noble  sirs !"  replied  the 
court-chaplain.  "  Nay,  how  could  I  suffer  you  to  hold 
me  in  much  higher  esteem,  than  I  do  now  or  ever  can 
deserve  !  My  position  in  reference  to  this  whole  matter 
is  simply  this  :  I  am  not  my  own  master.  It  being  evi- 
dent to  me,  beyond  all  doubt,  that  I  hold  my  present 
charge  in  accordance  with  the  will  of  God,  I  must  con- 
tinue here,  how  heavily  soever  the  duties  of  my  office 
may  fall  upon  me,  till  God  Himself  again  sets  me  free. 
Then,  and  not  till  then,  will  I  go,  and  that,  too,  wher- 
ever He  sends  me." 

"  You  design,  then,  to  remain  always  in  Dresden  ?" 
asked  the  first  speaker. 

"  I  cannot  give  any  assurance  as  to  that !"  replied 
Spener;  "for  not  knowing  whether  it  is  the  pre- 
determined will  of  God  to  keep  me  here,  I  do,  conse- 
quently, also  not   know   whether   I   ought   to  dismiss 


382  PHILIPP  JACOB   SPENER. 

from  my  mind  all  thoughts  of  making  a  change.  God 
has,  so  far,  given  me  no  indications  of  this ;  yet  I  know 
that  He  who  has  conducted  me  hither,  has  also  power 
to  conduct  me  hence.  Should  His  will  be  revealed  to 
me,  or  should  a  call  really  be  extended  to  me  in  any 
way,  I  would,  in  such  a  case,  commit  to  paper  my  rea- 
sons for  and  against,  and  leave  the  decision  to  others. 
This  I  did  when  I  was  called  from  Strasburg  to  Frank- 
furt, and  again  from  there  here.  I  would  commit  this 
matter  to  the  decision  of  my  gracious  sovereign,  and 
to  whomever  else  he  might  wish  to  consult  in  reference 
thereto." 

"  May  God  direct  all  according  to  His  will !"  said  the 
first.  "As  for  us,  we  will  faithfully  perform  whatever 
our  duty  requires.  Ah !  reverend  sir!  our  dear,  glorious 
fatherland  would  surely  offer  you  an  agreeable  home." 

"I  do  not  doubt  it,"  answered  Spener.  "I  account 
the  theologian  happy  who  has  the  opportunity  of  serv- 
ing the  Lord  and  such  a  sovereign  as  the  King  of 
Sweden  and  his  excellent  royal  spouse,  with  whose 
genuine  piety  I  have  long  since  been  acquainted.  We 
will  submit  the  whole  matter  to  the  guidance  of  Him 
who  holds  all  hearts  in  His  hand,  and  who  has  also 
power  over  me.  He  will,  in  His  own  good  time,  make 
all  things  right,  and  also  supply  the  dear  congregation 
in  Stockholm  with  the  man  whom  He  has  chosen  for 
Himself,  and  whose  labors  He  has  deigned  to  bless 
most  abundantly,  and  thus  reward  the  kind  solicitude 
of  Herr  von  Pufendorf " 

As  Spener  here  ceased  speaking,  there  occurred  a 
short  pause;  and  it  appeared  as  if  the  strangers  intended 
to  make  still  another  request,  but  hesitated  at  doing  so; 


A    CALL    FROM   TILE   NORTH. 


183 


whereupon  the  court-chaplain,  to  whom  this  silence  was 
painful,  suddenly  exclaimed:  "Your  honored  queen, 
noble  gentlemen,  has  mentioned  your  names  in  her 
letter.  I  am  heartily  glad  to  have  recognized  by  them 
two  truly  noble  and  Christian  gentlemen,  and  will  always 
remember  you  in  my  prayers." 

"Of  what  importance,  reverend  sir,  can  our  names 
be  to  you  ?''  now  began  the  first.  "  But  your  name,  or 
rather  a  few  words  from  your  hand  and  heart,  would  be 
to  us  the  dearest  and  most  precious  gift  to  remind  us  of 
this  hour.    Will  your  reverence  grant  us  this  request?" 

"With  all  my  heart,  noble  sirs!"  replied  Spener. 
The  stranger  handed  him  two  beautifully  embossed 
pieces  of  paper :  "  Yet  I  have  nothing  but  the  word  of 
my  Lord;  and  this  I  will  most  cheerfully  give  you." 

Then  he  took  a  scat  at  his  writing  desk,  and  wrote 
upon  the  one  leaf: 

"/  remembered  Thy  judgments  of  old,  and  have  com- 
forted 7ny  self  ^     Ps.  cxix.  52, 

And  upon  the  other : 

"And  if  Christ  be  in  you,  the  body  is  dead,  because  of 
sin  ;  but  the  spirit  is  life,  because  of  righteousness." 

Upon  each  he  wrote  his  name  and  his  motto,  which 
he  always  added  on  such  occasions,  and  which  at  the 
same  time  expressed  his  religious  opinion.  It  was  as 
follows  : 

Tu  A   cquisivisti     ]\Tos        TAomine     "P^ 

tmpore     _/^ccepto  ]_\'  obis     J^eus  _L/xauditioncm 

Mundo 
aturat. 

Ex.:  John  xv  19;  xvii.  14-16.  Gal.  i.  4.  Isaiah  xlix.  8.  2  Cor. 
vi.  2.     Ps.  cxix.  12.* 

*  The   capital  letters   give  the   word   Tandem    (at  length,  finally,) 


384  PHILIP P  JACOB  SPENER. 

"Here,  gentlemen!"  he  said,  whilst  handing  to  them 
the  slips  of  paper  thus  inscribed:  "may  these  words  of 
Holy  Writ  impart  to  you  consolation,  peace,  strength 
and  courage,  as  often  as  they  have  done  to  me,  amid 
the  many  severe  trials  of  my  life.  The  one  passage, 
taken  from  the  Old  Testament,  shall  continue  to  be  my 
comfort  whilst  my  life  endures,  and  my  labors  last; 
and  the  other,  taken  from  the  New  Testament,  shall  be 
my  consolation  in  death.  And  now  may  God  guide 
you  in  safety.  Give  my  kindest  regards  to  Herr  von 
Pufendorf,  as  also  my  most  humble  respects  to  your 
most  excellent  queen;  and,  as  soon  as  time  and  cir- 
cumstances shall  permit,  I  will  reply  to  the  letters  they 
have  respectively  addressed  to  me." 

The  two  Swedish  gentlemen  left  the  room,  deeply 
impressed  with  the  court-chaplain's  affability  and  kind- 
ness, and  took  away  with  them  the  conviction  that  true 
Christianity  confers  upon  man  true  nobility. 

The  ultimate  object  of  their  mission  remained,  how- 
ever, unaccomplished,  since,  in  the  mean  time,  the 
wonderful  dealings  of  God,  with  regard  to  Spener,  so 
manifested  themselves  that  Baron  von  Samuel  Pufen- 
dorf afterwards  interested  himself,  as  the   sequel  will 

doubtless,  in  the  sense  of  God  finally  answering  us  in  our  distress,  and 
of  our  final  redemption  by  death  from  all  evil.  The  words  attached 
to  these  capitals  give  the  respective  sentences:  Tu  acquisivisti  nos, 
domine,  ex  mundo,  (Thou,  O  Lord,  hast  chosen  us  from  the  world,) 
and  Tempore  accepto  nobis  Deus  exauditionem  maturat  (In  an  accepta- 
ble time  the  Lord  heareth  us) ;  thoughts  which  are  more  fully  ex- 
pressed in  the  Scriptural  passages  annexed.  In  our  time  this  might, 
indeed,  be  characterized  as  pious  trifling,  but  in  those  days  it  was  quite 
common  among  the  learned.  When  Spener  chose  his  motto,  his  soul 
may  have  been  filled  with  very  serious  thoughts,  thoughts  altogether 
becoming  the  dignity  of  the  Christian. 


A    CALL   FROM   THE   NORTH.  ^85 

show,  as  much  in  securing  Spener's  spiritual  labors  for 
another  country  as  he  had  before  done  to  secure  them 
for  Stockholm  in  Sweden. 

In  Dresden  the  feeling  which  had  been  aroused 
against  the  court-chaplain  had  gradually  calmed  down. 
The  Elector  had  returned  from  the  war,  after  having 
won  a  glorious  victory.  He  maintained  silence  in 
regard  to  his  sentiments  respecting  his  confessor 
(which  was,  no  doubt,  the  cause  of  the  moderation  of 
his  other  opponents),  but  adhered  to  his  resolution 
never  again  to  hear  Spener  preach.  How  this  amiable, 
sorely-afflicted  man  bore  all  this,  and  what  was  the 
condition  of  his  mind  at  the  close  of  this,  to  him,  most 
eventful  year,  may  be  learned  from  the  letter  which  he 
wrote  to  the  queen  of  Sweden,  and  which  may  be  found 
in  his  "Last  Theological  Opinions,"  Vol.  HI.,  p.  265. 
17 


CHAPTER   XXII. 


CHILDREN'S  TRIALS. 


"  For  I  reckon  that  the  sufferings  of  the  present  time  are  not  worthy 
to  be  compared  with  the  glory  that  shall  be  revealed  in  us." — Rom. 
viii.  i8. 

IN  1690,  about  the  close  of  the  Easter  Fair,  at  Leip- 
zig, a  new  trial  awaited  our  beloved  Dr.  Spener, 
and  that,  too,  at  a  time  when  he  least  expected  it. 

On  a  certain  forenoon,  a  portion  of  the  day  which  he 
usually  devoted  to  his  labors,  he  entered  the  family 
room,  and  said  to  his  wife,  "Dear  Susannah,  I  have 
such  a  longing  desire  to-day  to  be  with  you  and  our 
children,  that  I  can  scarcely  await  the  time  when  we 
shall  assemble  at  dinner." 

"  Have  you  had  some  unexpected  pleasure,  dear 
Philipp?"  she  asked. 

"Certainly!"  replied  he;  "as  God  always  sends  us 
unexpected  pleasure ;  for  all  pleasure  must  come  unex- 
pectedly to  the  Christian,  because,  as  he  has  no  right  to 
ask  any  of  the  Lord,  so  also,  has  he  no  right  to  expect 
it." 

"  And  what  has  happened  to  you  ?"  continued  the 
house-wife. 

"  Not  that  I  know  of  anything  in  particular,"  he  as- 
sured her.  "  But  my  heart  feels  lighter  and  more 
cheerful  to-day,  than  it  has  done  for  a  long  time.  All 
the  pleasant  and  beautiful  days  of  my  life  are  passing 
before  me,  as  if  some  one  held  them  up  in  a  picture. 

(386) 


CHILDREN'S    TRIALS. 


387 


I  behold  myself  in  the  house  of  my  sainted  parents  at 
Rappoltsweiler,  surrounded  by  my  dear  brothers  and 
sisters,  and  my  sainted  brother-in-law,  Mr.  Stoll,  who 
had  become  a  second  father  to  me  ;  and,  at  the  side  of 
my  sainted  god-mother,  the  dear  Countess  Agathe, 
whose  death  I  shall  never  forget.  Though  thirty-two 
years  have  passed  since  then,  I  still  hear  the  words  she 
addressed  to  me  on  her  death-bed,  as  she  gave  me  her 
dying  blessing ;  and  even  after  she  had  lost  her  speech, 
and  I  noticed  that  she  still  wanted  to  say  something  to 
me  she  laid  her  hand  upon  my  head,  bowed  her  own, 
and  died.  Ah,  dear  Susannah,  that  affected  me  so 
deeply,  that  for  a  long  time  afterwards,  I  prayed  for 
nothing  so  much  as  for  an  early  death.  It  had  been," 
he  added,  as  if  he  felt  that  such  a  wish  needed  an 
apology,  "  it  had  been  the  first  time  that  I  saw  any  one 
die ;  and  to  see  a  godly  person  die,  robs  death  of  its 
terror,  and  creates  a  desire  to  be  absent  from  the  body, 
and  to  be  present  with  Christ." 

"  Dear  Philipp  !"  said  the  house-wife,  "  the  joy  you 
felt  was  soon  changed  to  sorrow.  You  are  thinking 
only  of  the  dead;  do  then  the  living  afford  you  no 
longer  any  pleasure  ?"  — 

"O,  certainly,  my  good  wife!"  replied  he.  "All  of 
you  whom  God  has  given  me,  are  my  greatest  joy  and 
comfort  on  earth.  Had  I  not  a  cheerful  home,  and  in 
my  children  and  in  you,  my  pious  Susannah,  faithful 
friends,  I  would  often  not  know  how  to  bear  the  world's 
abuse.  And  think  you  that  the  remembrance  of  the 
departed  makes  one  sad?  Never,  surely;  for  the  death 
of  the  Christian  is  a  triumph,  a  glorious  victoiy  over 
all    temporal    and    perishable   things.     Only    in    one 


^88  PHILIPP  JACOB   SPENER. 

instance  may  the  memory  of  the  dead  cause  sadness ; 
and  that  is,  when  the  grave  sends  forth  accusing  voices 
against  us ;  and  such  voices  you,  certainly,  have  no 
reason  to  fear." 

"Thanks  be  to  God,  no!"  exclaimed  she.  "If  your- 
self, my  dear  husband,  will  not  one  day  accuse  me  of 
having  loved  you  less  than  you  love  me — " 

"My  good  wife!"  interrupted  Spener.  "I  know 
best  how  much  I  am  in  your  debt,  and  how  cheerfully 
you  bear  with  my  infirmities.  God  knows  I  am  kindly 
disposed  towards  all  men ;  but  yet  my  disposition  is 
somewhat  grave,  and  consequently,  it  may  at  times 
have  happened,  that  you  thought  me  guilty  of  unkind- 
ness,  when  my  heart  knew  nothing  of  it.  Yea,  even 
my  timidity,  my  being  so  easily  discouraged,  has  a 
tendency  to  cause  a  tender  wife  many  an  anxious 
thought;  and  it  was  just  because  I  felt  that  I  require 
more  love  and  indulgence  than  I  show  to  others,  that 
I  hesitated  to  enter  the  married  state  at  all,  and  thus 
prepare  for  my  wife  sorrow  and  pain,  instead  of  happi- 
ness and  joy.  You,  however,  Susannah,  ventured  to 
enter,  with  this  gloomy  man,  upon  the  journey  of  life. 
Have  you  not  regretted  it?" 

"  How  can  you  ask  such  a  question,  dear  Philipp  ?" 
she  replied.  "  To  you  I  owe  all  my  happiness ;  not 
only  the  happiness  of  my  life,  but  even  my  joyful  hope 
in  view  of  eternity.  Yes,  friend  of  my  soul,  faithful, 
dear  father  of  my  children,  through  you  I  first  learned 
to  understand  this  life  and  the  life  which  is  to  come. 
O,  can  you  then  not  imagine  that  when  I  see  so  many, 
many  thousands  loving  you,  and  thanking  you  for  the 
deliverance   of  their   souls,   that    I,  the  wife  of  your 


CHILDREN'S    TRIALS.  ^go 

bosom,  which  God  permitted  me  to  become,  feel  happy, 
nay  proud,  that  you  are  mine,  and  that  the  hand  which 
has  blessed  so  many  leads  me  through  life  ?" 

"Susannah,  Susannah!"  said  Spener,  with  cheerful 
earnestness.  "  Do  you  also  belong  to  my  enemies  and 
tempters,  that  you  attempt  to  induce  me  to  think  more 
highly  of  myself  than  I  ought?  It  is  to  the  Lord,  and 
not  to  ourselves,  that  praise  is  due.  To  Him  be  honor 
for  evermore !" 

"  The  Lord  ?"  repeated  the  wife.  "  Well,  yes,  the 
Lord !  But  have  you  not  often  said,  that  those  only 
find  the  Lord  who  seek  Him,  and  that  He  helps  only 
such  as  will  let  Him?" 

"Certainly,  my  good  wife!"  replied  the  Doctor. 
"•  We  have  the  comforting  assurance,  *Ask,  and  ye  shall 
receive;  knock,  and  it  shall  be  opened  unto  you.'  This 
is  often  done  by  man  to  his  fellow  man ;  and  how  much 
more  will  God  give  His  Holy  Spirit  to  those  that  ask 
Him  ?  But  you  thought,  when  a  little  while  ago  I 
spoke  of  the  dead,  that  I  was  sad.  Indeed  I  was  not; 
yet  I  know  not  how  it  comes,  that  whenever  I  feel 
really  joyful  in  God,  my  Lord,  death  comes  involun- 
tarily into  my  mind,  as  if  only  then,  as  I  indeed  also 
hope,  real  joy  was  first  to  begin.  Hence  I  have  already 
frequently  desired  to  ask  you  to  see  to  it  that  after  the 
Lord  shall  have  called  me  hence,  and  when  my  remains 
shall  be  borne  to  the  grave,  that  there  may  not  be  a 
single  black  thread  about  me,  and  also  that  my  coffin 
may  not  be  painted  black,  as  is  usual.  For  I  have 
mourned  enough  over  the  condition  of  the  Church 
during  my  life;  and  if  I  then,  which  God  in  mercy  may 
grant,  enter  the  Church  triumphant,  my  white  shroud 


3Q0  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

and  my  shining  coffin  shall  bear  witness,  that  I  have 
died  in  the  hope  of  better  days  to  come  for  the  Church 
on  earth.  Will  you  perform  this  act  of  love  for  me, 
Susannah  ?" 

"Philipp!"  she  exclaimed,  weeping  aloud;  "how 
can  you,  before  me,  and  in  view  of  your  children,  speak 
so  calmly  of  your  death.  God  will  not  take  you  away 
before  me.*  How  could  I  fill  your  place  among  our 
children?  How  could  I  endure  my  solitude,  my  lone- 
liness ?" 

"  Dear  wife,"  said  Spener,  gently  reproving  her, 
"you  seem  to  sorrow,  as  do  those  who  have  no  hope. 
Know  you  not  that  God  is  a  husband  to  the  widow, 
and  a  father  to  the  fatherless?  No,  my  timid  Susannah; 
anxiety  and  care  is  useless  and  unchristian  here;  but 
for  this  let  us  care,  that  we  may  meet  again  yonder. 
Let  Christ  be  and  continue  your  and  my  life ;  then  will 
death  be  to  us  gain.  And  let  me  communicate  another 
of  my  last  wishes.  If  a  faithful  friend  and  brother 
should  one  day  be  found  willing  to  preach  my  funeral 
sermon,  request  him  to  take  for  his  text  the  words: 
'If  Christ  be  in  you,  the  body  is  dead  because  of  sin  ;  but 
the  Spirit  is  life  because  of  righteousness'  (Romans  viii. 
lo).  And  now  be  cheerful  and  happy.  Our  days  are 
in  God's  hands.     His  will  be  done." 

But  these  comforting  words  would  not  take  root  in 
her  heart.  She  did  indeed  dry  her  tears,  but  her  soul 
remained  sorrowful.  And  just  as  Spener  was  about 
uttering  additional  words  of  comfort,  the  famulus 
announced  the  Rev.  Mr.  Gcrbcr,  whom  he  had  already 
shown  into  the  study. 

*  She  outlived  him  only  a  few  months. 


CHILDREN'S   TRIALS.  ^OI 

"I  will  be  there  immediately!"  replied  Spener.  And 
then,  turning  to  his  wife,  he  said,  "  Susannah,  may  I 
ask  Mr.  Gerber  to  stay  for  dinner?" 

Instead  of  an  answer,  she  reclined  her  head  upon  his 
bosom,  and  gave  free  vent  to  her  tears.  But  Spener 
imprinted  a  kiss  upon  her  brow,  and  said,  "  God  bless 
you  and  our  children !"  and  left  the  room. 

When  he  entered  his  study,  Mr.  Gerber  met  him 
with  sincere  reverence,  and  said,  "  Reverend  sir !  your 
own  heart  must  tell  you,  that  my  visit  at  this  time  is 
owing  to  an  act  of  unmerited  friendship  on  your  part, 
towards  me.  I  know  that  it  was  through  your  kind 
intercession,  that  I  have  been  called  to  my  present 
charge,  which  is  the  more  agreeable  to  me,  because  it 
brings  me  nearer  to  you.     Accept  my  hearty  thanks." 

"My  dear  brother,"  replied  the  court-chaplain,  "it 
may  be  that  my  influence  in  the  collegio  has  contrib- 
uted somewhat  toward  your  removal  from  Shonberg  to 
Lockwitz.  But  as  you  did  not  employ  any  personal 
efforts  to  obtain  the  situation,  and  as  you  were  pro- 
posed with  others  by  the  President,  I  felt  myself  the 
more  constrained  to  advocate  your  claim,  because  I 
have  long  known  you  as  a  worthy  Christian  minister 
and  pastor.  Yet  it  is,  after  all,  the  Lord  only  who 
controls  the  thoughts  and  minds  of  men;  and  the  fact 
of  your  having  so  willingly  followed  the  call,  is  to  me 
a  proof  that  you  understood  the  will  of  the  Lord  in 
reference  to  yourself.  As  for  the  rest,  you  will  find  in 
Lockwitz  a  very  faithful  co-laborer  in  the  vineyard  of 
the  Lord.  I  mean  the  schoolmaster  Petcrmann,  whom 
I  hold  in  very  high  esteem.  Would  that  our  school- 
masters were  all  like   him!     It   would  then  be  more 


392  PHIL  IP P  JACOB  SPENER. 

easy  for  us  ministers  to  continue  to  build  upon  the 
good  foundation  which  a  pious  teacher  had  laid  in  the 
hearts  of  the  children.  But  tell  me  now,  how  you 
have  fared  since  we  last  met  ?" 

"I  and  my  house  fared  better  than  we  dared  to 
hope,"  replied  Gerber.  "  But,  pardon  me,  reverend 
sir,  if  I  tell  you  that  we  felt  somewhat  apprehensive  in 
regard  to  your  welfare ;  less,  indeed,  about  your  bodily 
health  than  about  the  tranquillity  of  your  mind.  Since 
our  Serene  Elector  views  your  faithful  labors  of  love 
and  your  anxious  solicitude  in  such  an  unfavorable 
light,  many  false  witnesses  have  risen  up  against  you 
who  charge  upon  you  all  the  extravagances  of  those 
who  injure  the  cause  of  practical  Christianity  ixova. 
ignorance  or  from  dishonest  and  hypocritical  motives, 
ascribing  all  to  your  public  recognition  of  Frankc, 
whose  labors  in  Leipzig  are  attended  with  such  blessed 
results.  The  real  Christian,  the  honest  man,  sees,  of 
course,  in  all  this,  only  a  good  and  acceptable  work, 
but  the  malicious  slanderer  seizes  the  opportunity  to 
attack  you  and  your  labors,  which  he  has  hitherto 
regarded  with  a  secret  hate,  the  more  greedily,  the 
more  he  imagines  himself  thereby  able  to  secure  the 
favor  of  the  Elector." 

"Has  anything  new  happened,  in  reference  to  this 
matter?"  asked  Spener,  not  without  some  uneasiness. 

"  There  has,"  continued  Gerber,  "  as  I  have  been 
credibly  assured,  an  edict  was  issued  a  few  days  ago,* 
to  the  university,  to  the  district  bailiff  and  the  council 
at    Leipzig,  in    which    the    Elector   declares    all    con- 

*  On  the  loth  of  March,  1690. 


CHILDREN'S    TRIALS.  3^3 

venticles,  and  private  meetings  in  which  the  holy- 
Scripture  is  explained,  as  dangerous,  interdicting  them 
on  pain  of  imprisonment  and  recommending  immediate 
enforcement  of  the  law." 

"  I  am  aware  of  all  that,"  said  Spener,  smiling ; 
"and  am  rejoiced  that  the  mischief  which  is  growing 
out  of  these  unauthorized  and  ignorant  attempts  to  ex- 
plain the  Bible,  is  to  be  prevented.  Yet,  it  cannot  be 
otherwise  than  painful  to  me,  that  these  extravagances 
and  this  abuse  of  the  Word  of  God  is  charged  upon 
me,  who  have  not  the  remotest  idea  of  forming  a  sect, 
or  of  favoring  any  meeting  which  disturbs  the  peace 
of  the  Church,  by  producing  discord  and  giving  offence. 
But  the  most  painful  circumstance  of  all  is  the  fact, 
that  individuals,  who  according  to  their  station  and 
education  are  able  to  distinguish  truth  from  error, 
should  also  be  throwing  stones  at  me,  and  denouncing 
my  life  and  conduct,  which  I  endeavor  to  regulate  only 
in  accordance  with  the  Word  of  God,  as  pietism. 
Among  these,  especially.  Dr.  Carpzov,  a  man  whom  I 
have  never  wronged,  and  who,  only  a  few  years  ago, 
in  his  Moral  Lessons,  not  only  approved  of  the  Collegia 
which  I  had  proposed  in  my  pia  dcsideria,  etc.,  in 
which  the  laity  were  also  allowed  to  speak,  but  actually 
denounced  such  as  would  not  promote  or  discourage 
them  as  incurring  a  weighty  responsibility.  That  such 
a  man  should  not  only  preach  against  me  and  my 
labors,  but  even  accuse  me,  as  Rector  of  the  Uni- 
versity, in  his  programme,  of  the  most  unjust  things — 
all  of  which  might  greatly  depress  me,  if  I  did  not 
enjoy  the  consolation  of  an  approving  conscience. 
Thus  far  I  have  not  attempted  a  defence  against  him. 
17* 


294  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

Indeed,  you  may  believe  me,  I  ask  myself  daily,  why  is 
it  that  they  defame  me  and  bear  me  such  ill  will? 
What  have  I  done  that  my  name  and  office  should  be 
so  calumniated  ?  Yet,  however  closely  I  search  my 
heart,  I  find  indeed  that  I  am  weak  and  full  of  imper- 
fections ;  though  God  is  my  witness,  that  I  seek  only  His 
glory,  and  that  I  am  ambitious  of  nothing  but  to  be 
found  a  faithful  steward  of  the  mysteries  of  my  God, 
and  a  faithful  servant  of  my  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  The 
consciousness  of  this  alone  keeps  me  from  yielding  to 
despondency  in  my  deep  distress;  and  I  feel  assured 
that  the  Lord  permits  all  this  to  my  enemies  for  the 
exercise  and  trial  of  my  patience.  To  Him  will  I, 
therefore,  ascribe  all  grateful  praise,  and  continue  to 
commend  myself  to  His  grace." 

"O,"  said  Mr.  Gerber,  "would  that  I  could  bear 
every  affliction  with  such  joyful  courage  as  you  do, 
reverend  sir.  For  whatever  may  still  befall  you  can- 
not dishearten  you  in  fearlessly  continuing  to  labor  for 
the  one  thing  needful.  And  it  does  really  appear  as  if 
the  Lord  had  prepared  a  new  trial  for  you." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?"  quickly  inquired  the  court- 
chaplain. 

"The  Elector  has  lately  returned  from  Leipzig," 
remarked  Mr.  Gerber,  "and  is  said  to  have,  since  then, 
made  some  remarks  in  regard  to  church  discipline  and 
to  yourself,  reverend  sir,  which  did  not  seem  to  prom- 
ise either  peace  or  joy.  I  have  been  assured,  that 
when  the  aged  privy  counselor,  Herr  von  Griinrode, 
that  worthy  and  godly  man,  desired  to  announce  him- 
self this  morning  to  His  Electoral  Highness,  he  was 
informed  by  Herr  von   Langendorf  that    the   Elector 


CHILDREN'S    TRIALS.  ^95 

wished  never  to  see  him  again.  The  old  gentleman, 
who  had  already  on  a  previous  occasion  incurred  the 
displeasure,  but  had  again  gradually  regained  the  con- 
fidence of  his  sovereign,  though  not  in  the  same 
measure  in  which  he  once  enjoyed  it,  has  been  so 
deeply  grieved  and  affected  thereby,  that  he,  already 
weak  in  health,  has  suddenly  become  dangerously  ill." 

"  Ah  me !"  exclaimed  the  court-chaplain,  greatly 
moved.  "  What  do  you  tell  me  ?  This  stroke  is 
aimed  at  me !  I  feel  it.  I  will  cheerfully  bear  all 
that  my  gracious  sovereign  believes  himself  obliged 
to  do  against  me;  but  that  others  should  suffer,  inno- 
cently, for  my  sake,  deeply  grieves  me.  Do  you 
think  Herr  von  Grunrode  would  accept  a  visit  from 
me  at  this  time  ?  I  would  very  much  like  to  address 
to  him  a  word  of  comfort." 

But  such  was  not  to  be,  at  least,  for  the  present! 
The  famulus,  M.  Rothner,  hastily  entered  the  room  to 
announce  the  two  privy  counselors,  Herr  von  Senkwitz 
and  Herr  von  Langendorf,  or  rather  only  to  precede 
them,  for  they  had  followed  close  behind  the  famulus ; 
almost,  as  it  were,  to  show  that  they  did  not  deem  it 
necessary  to  ask  permission  to  enter.  They  entered 
with  a  hasty  salutation,  and  without  asking  to  speak 
with  the  court-chaplain  alone,  and  without  awaiting 
the  departure  of  the  famulus,  Herr  von  Senkwitz  began 
by  saying:  "Dr.  Spener,  we  have  come  on  a  special 
mission  from  our  gracious  sovereign.  His  Electoral 
Highness  desires  that  you  will  give  us  a  frank  and 
definite  reply  to  a  few  questions  which  we  are  instructed 
to  direct  to  you." 

"  I  have  always  served  my  sovereign  faithfully  and 


296  PHILIP P  JACOB  SPENER. 

sincerely,"  replied  Spener,  with  more  firmness  than 
was  his  wont  on  occasions  when  troubles  seemed  to 
threaten  him.  "  What  does  his  Electoral  Highness 
desire  of  me?" 

"His  Electoral  Highness,"  continued  Senkwitz,  "has 
hitherto  entertained  the  conviction  that  you  would 
keep  secret  the  correspondence  which  has  passed 
between  him  and  you,  as  becomes  his  confessor." 

"And  have  I  not  done  so?"  asked  Spener,  in  sur- 
prise. 

"It  does  not  appear  so!"  replied  the  privy  counselor. 
"  Else,  how  could  so  many  other  people  have  been 
made  acquainted  with  it  ?" 

"I  should  think,"  said  the  court-chaplain,  "that  what 
has  transpired  during  the  last  year,  between  my  gra- 
cious sovereign  and  myself,  his  unworthy  servant,  has 
been  so  generally  made  known  by  his  Electoral  High- 
ness himself,  without  any  fault  of  mine,  that  the 
unhappy  difficulty  between  us,  in  its  deplorable  con- 
sequences could  not  but  be  noised  abroad,  that  I,  for 
my  part,  find  nothing  inexplicable  in  it." 

"  The  question  is  not  about  what  has  transpired 
between  you  in  general,"  remarked  the  privy  coun- 
selor, with  an  inquisitorial  air,  "  but  about  the  contents 
of  your  letter  to  his  Electoral  Highness,  in  particular, 
and  the  answer  to  it." 

"  Of  that,"  replied  Spener,  firmly,  "  no  one  can  know 
anything,  save  the  omniscient  God.  I  have  always 
regarded  that  a  profound  secret;  and  what  my  famulus, 
who  took  a  copy  for  me  from  the  first  letter,  had  neces- 
sarily to  learn  concerning  it,  was  not  divulged  by  him, 
for  Mr.  Rothner  has  ever  served  me  most  faithfully." 


CHILDREN'S    TRIALS.  307 

"  How  then  is  it  possible,"  interrupted  Herr  von 
Langendorf,  with  a  derisive  smile,  "  that  there  are 
actually  copies  of  these  letters  in  circulation  ?" 

"  Copies  !"  repeated  the  court-chaplain,  in  the  great- 
est astonishment.  "  Your  excellency  can  surely  not 
be  in  earnest." 

"And  yet!"  added  Herr  von  Senkwitz,  "his  Electoral 
Highness,  during  his  stay  at  Leipzig,  conversed  with  a 
person  of  distinction  who  positively  assured  him  of 
having  read  copies  of  the  letters  in  question." 

Spener  smiled  mournfully  and  said,  "  Noble  sirs,  I 
am  well  aware  that  in  your  hearts  you  accuse  me  of 
many  faults,  though  God  is  my  witness  that  I  am  not 
able,  after  the  most  thorough  self-examination,  to  find 
anything  in  which  I  did  or  intended  to  wrong  you. 
Yet,  whatever  else  you  may  think  of  me,  I  hope  in 
God  that  you  will  not  consider  me  capable  of  lying. 
And,  therefore,  I  tell  you  that  I  have  communicated 
not  one  word  of  the  contents  of  those  letters  to  any 
one,  save  to  my  God  in  my  prayers.  The  letters  them- 
selves, if  you  except  my  famulus,  who  was  acquainted 
with  the  contents  of  the  first  only,  were  read  by  no 
one,  nor  did  I  ever  allow  even  one  paragraph  of  them 
to  be  transcribed." 

"  Might  it  not,"  now  continued  Herr  von  Senkwitz, 
in  a  somewhat  milder  tone  than  before,  "  have  been 
done  by  others  without  your  knowledge,  and,  as  I  will 
readily  believe,  without  your  will !" 

"  Hardly,"  replied  the  court-chaplain,  "  for  that  could 
only  have  happened  through  the  neglect  of  my  faithful 
Rothner,  which  I  cannot  believe.  However,  to  do  you 
justice   also   in  this,  allow  me  to  call  Mr.  Rothner." 


3q8  PHILIP P   JACOB   SPENER. 

When  this  had  been  done,  and  the  famulus  had 
entered,  Spener  said :  "  Dear  Rothner,  I  am  sorry  to 
be  obliged  to  ask  you  a  few  questions  which  might,  as 
I  know  you,  wound  your  feelings;  but  it  intimately 
concerns  your  honor  and  mine.  Therefore  I  ask  you  : 
have  you  ever  communicated  to  any  one  aught  of  the 
contents  of  that  letter  which  I,  last  spring,  on  the  day 
of  humiliation  and  prayer,  addressed  to  his  Electoral 
Highness,  and  of  which  you,  at  my  request,  took  a 
copy  ?  Or  have  you  permitted  any  one  to  read  the 
letter  itself,  or  copy  it  for  others;  or  have  you  per- 
mitted others  to  copy  any  part  of  it?  Speak,  and  fear 
nothing  for  yourself;  for  whatever  your  answer,  you 
shall  not  suffer  on  account  of  it." 

"  Reverend  Doctor,"  replied  the  famulus,  in  a  clear 
and  firm  voice,  "  God  is  my  witness  that  I  am  not  con- 
scious of  having  been  guilty  of  any  of  these  charges." 

"  I  believe  you  without  hesitation,"  said  Spener, 
"  and  beg  your  pardon  for  having  directed  these  ques- 
tions to  you.  And  see  here,  noble  sirs,  here,  in  this 
repository,  are  all  the  letters  of  which  I  have  preserved 
a  copy,  and  here,"  he  added,  whilst  taking  from  a 
drawer  a  package  of  papers,  "  Here  are  all  the  letters 
in  question,  in  the  same  place  and  order  in  which  I 
myself  placed  them  there." 

"All  this  appears  truly  mysterious,"  remarked  the 
favorite  knight  of  his  Electoral  Highness,  with  a 
singularly  peculiar  look.  "  For  the  same  credence 
which  you,  well-esteemed  Doctor,  and  your  famulus 
deserve,  we  also  owe  to  that  distinguished  person  who 
assured  his  Electoral  Highness  of  having  seen  a  copy 
of  the  letters ;    and  we  have  been  expressly  commis- 


CHILDREN'S    TRIALS.  ^gg 

sioned  to  express  to  you  the  just  and  profound  dis- 
pleasure of  our  gracious  sovereign  in  reference  to  this 
whole  transaction.  Since  that  day  when  his  Electoral 
Highness  was  pleased,  in  compliance  with  your  request, 
to  interdict  a  festivity  at  court,  for  which  great  prepar- 
ations had  been  made,  he  has  had  to  hear  many  things 
not  in  accordance  with  that  respect  which  is  due  to 
him,  as  our  most  gracious  ruler;  and  he  can,  therefore, 
not  be  blamed,  if  what  has  occurred  between  you 
becomes  the  talk  of  city  and  country." 

"  No  one  can  feel  this  more  than  I  do,"  replied  the 
court-chaplain,  "  or  regret  it  more  deeply.  But,  noble 
sirs,  will  you  then  not,  in  view  of  my  innocence,  modify 
your  accusation  ?  Nay,  I  pray  your  excellencies,  ear- 
nestly to  bear  to  our  gracious  sovereign  the  assurance 
of  my  innocence.  God  alone  knows  where  the  solu- 
tion of  the  mystery  is  to  be  found.  He  will  bring  to 
light  what  is  hid  in  darkness." 

"  God  grant  it !"  added  Herr  von  Senkwitz,  not 
without  sympathy.  "  We  shall  make  a  faithful  report 
to  his  Electoral  Highness."  And  with  this,  he  and 
his  companion  took  their  leave.  But  when  they  had 
reached  the  ante-chamber,  he  remarked  :  "  The  words 
of  this  man  have,  after  all,  a  singular  sound  and  a 
peculiar  power;  I  confess  that  I  sincerely  believe  in 
his  innocence,  notwithstanding  the  great  obscurity  in 
which  this  whole  matter  seems  to  be  involved.  His 
words  have  deeply  affected  me,  and  if  I  were  often  in 
his  company,  as  I  have  been  to-day,  I  really  would  not 
know  why  I  should  oppose  him." 

"It  is  just  this  which  makes  pietism  dangerous," 
asserted   Langendorf,   without,   however,    showing   in 


400  PHIL  IP  P   JACOB   SPENER. 

what  the  danger  actually  consisted,  or  whether  Spener 
in  his  labors  deserved  having  such  a  name  applied  to 
him.  Perhaps  he  was  not  quite  clear  about  it  him- 
self! Or  did,  perhaps,  his  conscience  speak  a  different 
language? 

We  leave  these  two  gentlemen  to  go  their  several 
ways,  and  return  to  the  study  of  our  beloved  Spener. 
"  Do  you  know,"  he  said  to  Mr.  Gerber,  who  during 
the  entire  interview  had  stood  as  far  off  and  kept  as 
quiet  as  possible.  "  Do  you  know  what  all  this  signi- 
fies? This  is  the  sure  precursor  of  my  dismission. 
O  Thou,  good  God,  if  all  forsake  me.  Thou  wilt  surely 
abide  with  me,  according  to  Thy  promise  !" 

"  God  forbid  that  it  should  proceed  so  far !"  ex- 
claimed Gerber,  with  deep  emotion.  "  We  would  then 
be  a  scattered  flock  without  a  shepherd  !  As  for  you, 
reverend  sir,  we  need  apprehend  nothing;  for  no  wound 
is  too  deep,  which  in  your  case  the  Word  of  God  can- 
not heal." 

"I  thank  my  God,  that  it  is  even  so,"  replied  the 
court-chaplain,  "  that  wherever  the  Lord  permits  some 
suffering  to  befall  us  for  His  name  and  truth's  sake, 
there  the  consolations  administered  to  us  by  our 
heavenly  Father  in  His  Word  are  so  abundant,  that 
they  far  exceed  our  sufferings.  This  may  also  be  the 
cause  why  we  for  His  sake,  who  has  loved  us,  over- 
come all  things ;  and  it  is  therefore  meet  that,  when- 
ever God  accounts  us  worthy  to  endure  sufferings  for 
His  Son's  sake,  we  should  rejoice  at  it,  rather  than 
mourn." 

"Ah,"  continued  Mr.  Gerber,  "  it  must  have  required 
a  great  many  trials    before  you  became  so  strong  in 


CHILDREN'S    TRIALS.  4OI 

faith  and  patience.  I  must  confess  that,  when  those 
privy  counselors,  and  especially  Herr  von  Langendorf, 
brought  their  complaint  in  such  offensive  language,  I 
felt  greatly  indignant,  and  was  astonished  at  the  calm- 
ness with  which  you  declared  your  innocence." 

"  Do  not  ascribe  too  much  honor  to  me,"  replied 
Spener,  "  nor  make  my  trials  severer  than  they  really 
are.  My  having  hitherto  been  enabled  by  the  grace 
of  God  to  withstand  opposition,  affords  me  but  little 
cause  to  boast  in  the  sight  of  men,  and  still  less  in  the 
sight  of  God.  For  all  that  the  Lord  has  so  far  per- 
mitted to  befall  me  has  been  but  light." 

"  But  light !"  exclaimed  Gerber,  in  surprise. 

"  Well,  what  then  has  it  been,  my  dear  sir  ?"  asked 
the  Doctor.  "  If  you  sum  it  all  up  you  will  find  that 
it  was  only  contempt,  evil  reports,  calumny,  hatred, 
menace  and  indignation.  All  these  are  only  children's 
trials,  and  the  lightest  sufferings  of  grace.  Really 
severe  sufferings,  such  as  faithful  servants  of  the  Lord 
before  me  have  endured,  have,  thus  far,  not  been  per- 
mitted to  fall  upon  me.  Perhaps  the  Lord  has  hitherto 
found  me  too  weak  for  them,  and  mercifully  exempting 
me  from  heavier  trials,  has  laid  upon  me  only  such  as 
are  suited  to  children.  Think  of  what  the  beloved 
John  Arndt  and  the  faithful  Paul  Gerhardt  had  to 
endure !  Of  Martin  Luther  I  dare  not  even  speak,  for 
I  am  not  worthy  to  unloose  his  shoe  latchets.  Yea,  it 
seems  to  me  that  even  my  dear  Franke,  at  Leipzig,  is 
accounted  worthy  by  the  Lord  of  severer  trials." 

"  Yet  you  do  not  know,"  said  Gerber,  "  what  heavy 
trials  the  Lord  may  still  have  in  store  for  you." 

"Should  He  have,"  said  the  court-chaplain  "(and  ap- 


402  PHILIPP  JACOB   SPENER. 

pearances  do  certainly  indicate  something  of  the  kind), 
He  will  at  the  proper  time  give  me  strength  from  on 
high  in  proportion  to  the  sufferings  appointed  for  me. 
God  is,  perhaps,  even  now  preparing  me  for  severer 
trials,  by  the  consolations  which  pious  hearts  are 
already  offering  me,  and  of  which  my  present  suffer- 
ings are  not  worthy.  And,  therefore,  I  gratefully 
acknowledge  it  as  an  unmerited  favor." 

"  Do  I,  then,  understand  you  to  say  that  you  actually 
pray  to  the  Lord  for  severer  trials  ?"  asked  Gerber. 

"  No !"  replied  Spener.  "  I  do  also,  in  this,  not 
prescribe  to  Him  by  praying  for  severer  sufferings,  for 
this  would  be  tempting  the  Lord  my  God ;  yet,  on  the 
other  hand,  I  do  not  fear  them ;  and,  if  they  should 
come,  I  will  not,  like  a  hireling,  fly  away  from  them. 
I  willingly  leave  all  to  His  gracious  direction.  He 
will  order  all  for  my  own  good  and  that  of  others. 
Do  you  not  remember  Paul  Gerhardt's  hymn  of  con- 
solation ? 

"  '  Let  Him  alone  the  world  control, 

None  wiser  reigns  than  He ; 
The  dealings  of  His  hand  thy  soul 

With  wondering  eyes  shall  see, 
When  at  the  time  that  He  shall  choose. 

His  kind  and  wise  decree 
Thy  heavy  burdens  shall  unloose, 

And  bid  thy  sorrows  flee.'  " 

"  But  do  you,  then,  mean  to  say,"  continued  Mr, 
Gerber,  "  that  the  Christian  is  quietly  to  wait  for  all 
things  in  such  a  way  as  not  to  concern  himself  about 
the  future  at  all?" 

"  By  no  means,  my  dear  friend,"  was  Spener's  reply. 
"For  not    only  those   who    inculcate    godliness    must 


CHILDREN'S   TRIALS. 


403 


expect  to  be  prepared  to  suffer  for  its  sake,  but  also 
those  who  endeavor  to  exercise  themselves  in  it. 
Therefore,  it  is  our  duty  to  ask  God  in  our  prayers,  so 
much  the  more  earnestly,  to  let  His  gracious  will  be 
done  in  regard  to  us,  to  impart  to  us  a  living  knowl- 
edge of  it,  and  to  supply  us  at  all  times  from  above 
with  a  needful  measure  of  faith  and  consolation  to  sup- 
port us  amid  all  our  trials.  And  all  this,  with  the 
comfortable  assurance  that  God  cannot  lie,  but  will 
surely  perform  His  promise  toward  us." 

"As  He  has  already  so  richly  performed  them  to- 
ward you !"  added  Gerber. 

"  Very  richly,  my  dear  friend !"  assured  the  court- 
chaplain.  "  So  very  richly,  indeed,  that  I  almost  regard 
it  as  sinful  to  complain  at  the  small  measure  of  my 
sufferings.  Surely,  I  can  never  sufficiently  estimate 
and  extol  the  precious  and  unmerited  favor  of  my  dear 
heavenly  Father,  manifested  in  inclining  so  many  of 
the  souls  of  His  children  toward  me,  that  they,  as  I 
feel  assured,  pray  for  me  as  I  pray  for  them.  And  the 
Lord  has  graciously  answered  our  united  prayers ;  for 
since  my  enemies  have  appeared  in  open  opposition 
against  me,  I  have  become  more  courageous  than  be- 
fore. The  Lord,  who  is  beginning  more  and  more  to 
pour  out  His  grace  upon  His  children,  inspiring  hope 
by  the  very  opposition  He  thus  excites,  will  again  be 
favorable  to  his  afflicted  Zion,  and  also  harmonize  more 
and  more  all  His  faithful  servants  among  themselves  in 
the  unity  of  the  Spirit  and  the  bond  of  holy  love  in 
such  a  way,  that  our  gratitude  and  prayers,  thus  com- 
bined, will  come  up  before  Him  more  effectually,  so 
that  we  will  eventually  realize,  in  time  and  in  eternity, 
all  that  has  been  promised  to  us." 


404  PHIL  IP P  JACOB   SPENER. 

Gerber  here  grasped  the  Doctor's  hand,  and  said: 
"  Reverend  sir,  how  shall  I  thank  you  for  this  consola- 
tion— a  consolation  of  which,  especially  among  us  min- 
isters, those  stand  in  need,  who  have  now,  more  than 
ever,  to  contend  with  difficulties  in  our  vocation  !  O, 
would  that  all  could  enjoy  the  happiness  with  which 
you  favor  me !  If  all  could  only  hear  you  speak,  they 
would  cease  writing  against  you,  for  they  would  be 
forced  to  love  you.  God  has  so  richly  endowed  you 
with  spiritual  gifts,  that  you  are  never  at  a  loss  either 
to  give  advice  or  impart  consolation.  And  this  too, 
like  one  who  receives  immediately,  and  always  receives 
the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost." 

"Dear  sir,"  replied  the  court-chaplain,  with  kind 
earnestness,  "that  you  do  not  hate  me,  is  certainly 
very  agreeable  to  me ;  yet,  permit  me  to  say  that  true 
love  rarely  manifests  itself  by  indulging  in  commend- 
ation and  praise.  If  you,  therefore,  really  love  me, 
and,  in  future,  esteem  me  worthy  of  forming  a  subject 
for  conversation,  speak  rather  of  my  faults  and  weak- 
nesses, and  imperfections  of  every  kind.  If  you,  how- 
ever, suppose  that  this  comes  readily  and  quickly  to 
me,  you  are  very  much  mistaken.  How  often,  when 
asked  for  advice  and  consolation  by  others,  am  I  my- 
self without  either,  and  must  frequently  spend  many 
days  before  I  am  sufficiently  enlightened  to  advise  and 
console." 

"  For  this  reason  it  is  unaccountable  to  me,"  said  the 
minister,  "  how  you  find  time  for  all  you  do ;  for  there 
is  scarcely  a  day  on  which  you  do  not  write  volumin- 
ous letters,  besides  attending  to  the  duties  of  your 
threefold  and  very  important  and  onerous  office." 


CHILDREN'S   TRIALS. 


405 


"  Nor  do  I !"  said  Spener.  "  I  have  still  nearly 
three  hundred  unanswered  letters  lying  over  from  last 
year,  notwithstanding  I  wrote,  as  my  diary  will  show, 
six  hundred  and  twenty-two  in  this  one  year." 

Gerber  clasped  his  hands  in  astonishment,  and  said, 
"How  very  insignificant  do  I  appear  compared  with 
you  !  Yes,  reverend  sir,  even  at  the  risk  of  offending 
you,  I  must  say,  how  very  insignificant  do  I  appear 
when  I  compare  my  labors  with  yours  !" 

Just  as  the  court-chaplain  was  about  to  reply,  the 
door  opened,  and  Mrs.  Spener  entering,  said  :  "  Gentle- 
men, dinner  is  ready, — are  you  ?" 

"  Will  you  be  my  guest,  dear  friend?"  asked  Spener; 
and  without  waiting  for  an  answer,  he  turned  to  his 
wife,  saying,  "  Dear  Susannah,  you  will  find  in  me  a 
great  eulogist  to-day  of  your  culinary  skill.  I  have 
not  had  so  good  an  appetite  for  a  long  time  as  I  have 
to-day." 

"You  often  speak  in  this  way,  dear  Philip,"  said  the 
wife,  smiling;  "and  yet,  when  you  come  to  eat,  it  seems 
scarcely  worth  while.  Now  come,  and  meanwhile  you 
must  not  be  angry  with  me,  that  I  have  detained  an- 
other guest  for  dinner,  who  arrived  a  short  time  ago. 
But  I  hope  you  will  rather  be  pleased  than  otherwise." 

"  Whom  do  you  mean  ?"  asked  Spener, 

"  The  fact  is,"  replied  she,  with  a  pleasant  jest,  "  I  had 
determined  to  reply  to  you  by  saying,  *  Come  and  see ;' 
for  it  is  written,  *  Blessed  are  those  who,  not  seeing,  yet 
believe.'  And  you  have  only  to  come  in  order  to  see. 
However,  the  heart  of  a  mother  cannot  long  keep 
silent.  Can  you  not  guess  that  it  is  Doctor  Birnbaum's 
wife  ?" 


4o6  PHIL  IP  P  JACOB   SPENER. 

"  Our  dear  daughter  Elizabeth  !"  exclaimed  Spener, 
joyfully.  "  Dear  Lord  and  God,  how  full  of  loving- 
kindness  art  Thou  !"  he  continued,  folding  his  hands, 
whilst  in  his  eye  glistened  a  tear  of  joyful  emotion. 
"  Just  on  this  very  day,  on  which  I  have  experienced 
such  a  small  and  trifling  affliction,  is  so  much  bliss  pre- 
pared for  me.  Come,  dear  Mr.  Gerber,  and  see  with 
me." 

And  the  three  left  the  room. 


CHAPTER    XXIII. 

THE    SECOND    CALL    FROM    THE    NORTH. 

"Wherefore  also  we  pray  always  for  you,  that  our  God  would  count 
you  worthy  of  this  calling,  and  fulfil  all  the  good  pleasure  of  His  good- 
ness, and  the  work  of  faith  with  power." — 2  Thess.  i.  ii. 

A  FEW  weeks  after  the  events  related  in  the  last 
chapter,  the  famulus,  M.  Rothner,  announced,  on 
a  certain  afternoon,  two  young  people  to  the  court- 
chaplain  who,  though  requested  to  enter,  still  hesitated 
to  do  so.  When,  therefore,  Spener  went  out  to  meet 
them,  he,  immediately  recognizing  them,  exclaimed: 
"Ah!  it  is  you,  my  young  friend  Guldenmeyer,  and 
your  dear  sister,  or  rather  your  dear  bride  !  Come  in, 
and  tell  me  what  brings  you  here." 

"At  this  time  not  a  weary  and  heavy  laden,  but  a 
joyful  and  grateful  heart,"  replied  George,  as  he  tim- 
idly presented  the  court-chaplain  with  a  small,  neatly- 
covered  package. 

"For  what  do  you  think  yourself  indebted  to  me?" 
asked  Spener. 

"Were  I  to  attempt,  reverend  sir,"  said  George,  "to 
enumerate,  one  by  one,  the  particulars  of  our  indebted- 
ness to  you,  I  would  not  know  where  to  end." 

"  We  are  indebted  to  you,"  added  Elizabeth,  "  for  all 
our  true  earthly  happiness,  the  peace  of  our  hearts,  the 
prosperity  of  our  house,  the  sincere  joy  of  our  faith; 
all,  all  of  which  I  can,  indeed,  feel,  but  am  not  able  to 

(407) 


4o8  PHILIP P  JACOB  SPENER. 

express ;  all  is  owing  to  your  kind  labors  for  us,  rever- 
end sir." 

"  Miss  Elizabeth !"  exclaimed  Spener,  in  surprise ; 
and  then  added,  with  affectionate  earnestness,  "  you 
have  often  called  yourself  my  pupil.  Have  I  taught 
you  to  give  to  man  the  glory  which  alone  belongs  to 
God  ?" 

" Certainly  not!"  replied  the  maiden,  blushing  deeply. 
"  But,  can  it  be  wrong  to  manifest  respect,  gratitude 
and  love  for  a  man  whom  God  has  employed  as  an 
instrument  in  executing  His  gracious  will  toward  us  ? 
T  think  not,  reverend  Doctor.  And  this  has  embold- 
ened us  to  call  on  you,  and  "  here  she  faltered, 

and  cast  a  bashful  look  toward  George.  He,  compre- 
hending her  appeal,  uncovered  a  small  painting,  and 
said,  whilst  handing  it  to  the  court-chaplain :  "  We 
pray  you,  reverend  sir,  kindly  to  accept  this  very  small 
token  of  our  gratitude  for  the  love  and  kindness  which 
you  have  shown  us  and  our  whole  house." 

"What  are  you  thinking  of?"  said  Spener,  declining 
the  proffered  gift.  "  Would  I  not  have  to  be  ashamed 
of  myself,  before  God,  if  I  were  to  receive  pay  for  a 
kind  word  addressed  to  you  in  the  hour  of  distress  ? 
No,  my  dear  friends,  I  have  never  yet  accepted  pay  for 
any  counsel  or  advice,  or  whatever  else  the  unmerited 
confidence  of  my  brethren  required  of  me ;  and  the 
fact  of  being  able  to  say  that  I  perform  these  offices, 
which  are  daily  making  an  increased  demand  on  my 
time,  for  the  love  of  God,  affords  me  some  consolation 
for  the  pain  I  feel  when  I  think  of  the  imperfection  of 
my  advice  and  spiritual  aid." 

"  Indeed,"  assured  George,  "  we  never  intended  this 


SECOND    CALL    FROM    THE   NORTH.  409 

as  a  remuneration,  for  perishable  silver  and  gold  can 
never  yield  an  adequate  return  for  spiritual  favors. 
We  only  intend  this  as  a  token,  not  very  skillfully 
executed,  it  is  true,  but  still  as  a  token  to  commem- 
orate the  first  really  happy  hour  of  my  life ;  only  look, 
I  beg  you,  at  the  subject !" 

Spener  now  undertook  to  examine  it.  Before  a  city 
gate,  which  was  easily  recognized  as  Pirna  gate,  stood 
a  carriage,  out  of  which  was  leaning  a  man  with  long 
curling  hair,  the  crown  of  his  head  covered  with  a 
black  velvet  skull-cap,  and  with  a  countenance  beam- 
ing with  kindness,  apparently  engaged  in  conversation 
with  a  young  man.  The  resemblance  of  the  elder 
gentleman  to  the  court-chaplain  could  not  be  mistaken, 
just  as  the  young  man  could  at  once  be  known  by  his 
traveling  equipments  and  striking  features  as  the 
young  artist  Guldenmeyer. 

"  Do  you  remember  yet,"  said  George,  "  what  you 
said  to  me  at  that  time  ?  You  said,  '  I  hope  you  will 
not  be  frightened;  I  am  the  new  court-chaplain.'  In- 
deed, reverend  sir,  frightened  I  was  not,  but  ashamed, 
deeply  ashamed,  both  on  account  of  on  unmerited 
favor  conferred  upon  me,  as  well  as  on  account  of  the 
awkwardness  of  my  conduct  throughout.  But  that 
shame  became  to  me  only  the  seed  of  a  sincere  joy  and 
a  happy  heart.  I  can  never  forget  that  moment ;  for  it 
was  the  first  ray  of  the  morning  twilight  of  a  true  day 
of  God,  a  true  child  of  a  heavenly,  divine  aurora,"  he 
added,  with  an  allusion  to  their  conversation  on  that 
occasion.  "  Will  you  now,  reverend  sir,  refuse  to  ac- 
cept this  trifling  offering  from  a  grateful  heart  ?" 

"  My   singular   young    friend !"    replied    the    court- 
chaplain,  with  an  assuring  smile. 
18 


4IO  PIIILIFP  JACOB  SPENER. 

"The  truth  is,  I  am  somewhat  angry  with  my  dear 
George,"  here  interrupted  EHzabeth,  "because  he  was 
so  full  of  self-love,  that  he  painted  hiijiself,  or  rather 
only  himself  with  you,  on  this  picture.  Why  could  he 
not  have  painted  one  in  which  I,  too,  might  have 
occupied  a  place,  even  though  it  had  been  in  the 
farthest  corner?" 

"  Why,  you  are  also  on  it,"  said  George,  "  though 
invisible  to  the  eye;  for,  as  I  have  borne  your  letters 
upon  my  heart,  so  I  bore  you  in  it." 

"  If  you  are  allowed  to  put  this  interpretation  upon 
it,"  added  Spener,  taking  up  the  friend's  jest,  "  then 
you  are  twice  on  the  picture,  dear  Elizabeth ;  for  so 
soon  as  your  George  had  mentioned  your  father's 
name,  I  immediately  thought  of  you,  and,  consequently, 
also,  bore  you  in  my  heart." 

Elizabeth  blushed  deeply,  and,  in  order  to  conceal 
her  embarrassment,  said,  quickly :  "  The  ornamenting 
on  the  frame  is  the  work  of  my  good  father.  He  in- 
sisted on  doing  it,  and  I  can  sympathize  with  him,  for 
I  know  not  what  I  would  give  if  I,  too,  could  have 
done  something  in  getting  up  this  picture." 

"You  have  done  something!"  insisted  George,  as  he 
showed  the  back  part  of  the  picture,  where  Elizabeth 
had  written,  i  Thess.  v.  12,  in  a  clear,  beautiful  hand: 

"K?toiu  them  wliich  labor  among  yon,  and  are  over 
you  in  the  Lord,  and  admonish  yon;  and  esteem  them 
very  highly  in  love  for  their  zvork's  sake." 

"  This  present,"  said  Spener,  kindly,  "  I  cannot  any 
longer,  of  course,  refuse  to  accept.  And  I  thank 
you  for  this  evidence  of  your  pious  devotion.  I  will 
hang  it  where  it  will  ever  be  near  me,  so  that  in  the 


SECOND    CALL    FROM   THE   NORTH. 


411 


hour  of  new  trials  it  may  sustain  and  encourage  me. 
And  now,  how  is  your  father  ?" 

"God  has  preserved  his  health  thus  far,"  answered 
Elizabeth,  "  and  he  wishes  to  be  kindly  and  gratefully 
remembered  to  you." 

"And  how  is  my  Christian  schoolmaster  in  Lock- 
witz,  your  Uncle  Pctcrmann  ?"  continued  Spener. 

"  He  is  well,"  replied  George,  "  and  said  that  he 
would  soon  again  be  obliged  to  trouble  your  reverence, 
in  order  to  renew  his  failing  strength." 

"  He  shall  be,  as  ever,  most  heartily  welcome,"  said 
the  court-chaplain.  Remember  me  to  him.  And  how 
goes  it  with  yourselves?"  he  continued,  smiling.  "You 
will,  doubtless,  be  soon  preparing  your  marriage  feast?" 

"  Our  father,"  replied  George,  "  and  also  Uncle 
Petermann,  desire  that  our  wedding  should  take  place 
in  autumn,  and  that  the  new  minister  at  Lockwitz 
shall  unite  us." 

"  Well,  if  I  find  it  possible,"  said  Spener,  whilst  ex- 
tending a  hand  to  each,  "  I  will  be  a  guest  at  your 
wedding  feast.  Now  you  may  go  in  peace,  unless  you 
have  something  else  to  tell  me ;  do  not  forget  to 
remember  me  to  Mr.  Guldenmeyer.  I  am  obliged  to 
write  several  important  letters  yet  to-day." 

The  two  young  people,  full  of  happiness  in  their  in- 
most hearts,  left  the  room ;  but  Spener  was  not  des- 
tined to  resume  his  labors  on  this  day  as  soon  as  he 
had  expected,  for  just  as  he  reached  the  ante-chamber 
with  his  friends,  a  gentleman  entered,  and  Spener, 
taken  by  surprise,  exclaimed  :  "  Herr  von  Pufendorf ! 
does  your  excellency  come  from  Berlin  ?" 

"  Of  course,    my  dear    Doctor,"    replied   the   privy 


412  PHILIP P  JACOB  SPENER  , 

counselor,  at  the  same  time  asking  permission  to  enter 
his  study. 

"  Can  you  imagine  what  has  brought  me  to  you  ?" 
asked  the  privy  counselor,  as  soon  as  they  entered. 

Spener  blushed,  and  asked,  quickly,  "Is  it  true  that 
Provost  Teuber  is  dead  ?" 

"  Yes  !"  was  the  reply.  "  God  has  removed  him  sud- 
denly, and  before  he  had  been  long  at  his  new  post. 
Last  year,  after  the  Lord  had  removed  his  predecessor, 
Dr.  Schrader,  you  were  asked  to  become  his  successor; 
but  you  declined.  Now,  if  the  call  should  be  renewed 
at  this  time,  would  you  not  recognize  in  it  the  will  of 
God,  that  you  should  go  to  Berlin  ?" 

"  I  cannot  sufficiently  thank  your  Excellency  for 
your  kindness  and  undeserved  consideration  for  me," 
replied  the  court-chaplain  ;  "  but,  at  the  same  time,  I 
must  also  frankly  confess  to  you,  that  you  cause  me  a 
great  deal  of  uneasiness."  And  with  this,  he  began,  as 
was  his  custom,  to  pace  to  and  fro,  evidently  greatly 
exercised,  and  saying,  in  a  low  voice  to  himself,  "  The 
Lord  gives  me  no  rest." 

"  Nor  do  your  enemies  in  Saxony,"  quickly  added 
the  privy  counselor. 

"  That  is  most  true,"  replied  Spener,  with  a  sigh. 
"  God,  in  His  wisdom  permits  it.  How  wonderful  are 
His  dealings !" 

"  How  does  it  stand  with  the  Elector,  my  dear 
friend?"  asked  Pufendorf 

"I,  myself,"  replied  the  court-chaplain,  "have  never 
yet  ceased,  nor  will  I  ever  cease,  to  remember  him  affec- 
tionately in  my  prayers.  But  His  Electoral  Highness, 
unfortunately,  continues  to  persevere  in  his  aversion  to 


SECOND    CALL   FROM   THE   NOR  TIL 


413 


me,  and  has,  for  a  year  and  a  half,  neither  attended  my 
preaching  nor  received  the  Holy  Supper  from  my  hands. 
Yea,  his  displeasure  against  me  seems  to  increase,  just 
as  his  unjust  suspicions  against  several  other  gentle- 
men, which,  to  my  deep  regret,  are  only  too  often  ex- 
pressed, have  gained  renewed  strength.  The  good  and 
pious  old  Herr  von  Griinrode  has  gone  down  to  his 
grave  with  the  displeasure  of  his  sovereign  resting 
upon  him." 

"  Well,  my  dear  and  reverend  sir,  his  Electoral  High- 
ness of  Brandenburg  has  been  graciously  pleased  to 
commission  me  to  confer  with  you  in  reference  to  the  ac- 
ceptance of  the  vacant  Provostship  of  St.  Nicholas,  and 
the  inspectorship  connected  therewith,  as  well  as  the 
office  of  counselor  of  the  consistory.  Ought  not  your 
sufferings  here,  and  the  anxious  desire  to  have  you  at 
Berlin,  afford  sufficient  proof  that  the  goodness  of  God 
has  provided  for  you,  and  that  He  marks  out  the 
course  you  are  to  pursue  ?" 

"  I  can,  of  course,"  replied  Spener,  "  not  praise  God 
enough  for  comforting  and  strengthening  me,  His  hum- 
ble servant,  by  these  new  evidences  of  His  loving  care, 
at  a  time  when  my  enemies,  especially  here  in  Saxony, 
are  so  greatly  increasing ;  and  I  feel  confidently  assured 
that  He  will  do  all  things  wisely  and  well.  Then  I 
owe  humble  thanks  to  His  Electoral  Highness  of 
Brandenburg,  for  his  kind  intentions  in  offering  me  a 
situation  as  a  servant  of  the  Church  in  his  dominions. 
And  then  again  I  am  under  great  obligations  to  your 
Excellency  for  this  additional  proof  of  your  generous 
interest  in  my  behalf  Yet  I  cannot  deny  that  I  am 
altogether  unable  to  decide  in  the  matter,  inasmuch  as 


414  PHIL  IP  P  JACOB    SPENER. 

I  do  not  yet  clearly  discern  what  is  the  will  of  my  Lord 
and  Master." 

"  Should  you  really  have  so  much  difficulty,  reverend 
sir,  in  arriving  at  a  knowledge  of  the  will  of  the  Lord?" 
asked  Pufendorf,  sympathizingly. 

"Ah,  noble  sir,"  replied  Spener,  "the  correct  under- 
standing of  the  divine  will  has  ever  cost  me  the  severest 
conflicts,  especially  at  the  time  when  I  was  called  from 
Frankfurt  to  this  place.  And  I  acknowledge  that  I 
entertained  a  hope  that  God  in  His  goodness  would 
not  again  permit  me  to  undergo  a  similar  trial." 

"  But  if,  after  all,  it  should  really  appear  that  it  is  the 
Lord's  will  that  you  should  go  to  Berlin,  would  you 
do  so  ?"  replied  the  privy  counselor. 

"  In  such  an  event,"  replied  the  court-chaplain,  "  I 
would,  of  course,  feel  constrained  to  bow  reverently  to 
His  holy  will;  for  I  would  then  see  in  it  an  evidence 
of  His  subjecting  my  faith  and  obedience  to  a  new  trial. 
And  I  praise  His  infinite  goodness  in  having  inclined 
me,  both  then  and  now,  to  submit  to  His  will,  either 
by  staying  or  going,  as  soon  as  I  shall  have  clearly 
apprehended  it.  But  this  is  just  the  ground  of  my 
fears  and  anxiety;  how  shall  I  know  the  will  of  my 
Heavenly  Father,  without  self-deception  and  the 
danger  of  after-doubts?  Let  me  but  know  with  cer- 
tainty that  this  or  that  is  the  will  of  God,  and  I  shall 
be  most  willingly  the  Lord's  servant.  His  will  be 
done." 

"  Should  the  long  increasing  desire  of  a  large  con- 
gregation to  have  you,"  suggested  Pufendorf,  "coupled 
with  the  ardent  wish  of  a  truly  pious  prince,  who  is 
really  concerned   for  the  true  welfare  of  his  people, 


SECOND    CALL    FROM    THE   NORTH. 


415 


together  with  the  sudden  and  unexpected  decease  of 
the  Provost  Teuber — -should  all  this  not  appear  to  you 
as  a  clear  indication  of  the  divine  will,  especially  since 
the  call  is  extended  to  you  without  any  instrumentality 
of  your  own?" 

"  My  noble  and  dear  friend,"  replied  Spener,  "  if  I 
were  entirely  free,  or  if  I,  in  the  providence  of  God, 
were  dismissed  from  my  present  charge,  or  altogether 
rejected,  you  may  feel  assured  that  I  would  imme- 
diately and  most  cheerfully  go  with  you.  Yea,  I 
would  regard  it  as  a  special  mark  of  divine  grace  to 
be  assured  of  the  favor  of  such  a  Christian  potentate 
as  his  Electoral  Highness  of  Brandenburg,  and  to  serve 
under  his  patronage  in  the  ministry  of  the  gospel. 
For  I  have  long  since  known  how  zealously  the  noble 
son  of  the  great  Elector  labors  for  the  promotion  of 
the  glory  of  God  and  the  kingdom  of  Jesus  Christ  on 
earth,  so  that  all  who  feel  an  interest  in  this  matter 
cannot  but  love  and  honor  him.  Yes,  indeed,  were  I 
free,  or  had  my  sovereign  cast  me  out,  so  that,  like 
John  Arndt  and  Paul  Gerhardt,  I  should  be  obliged  to 
wander  about,  homeless,  it  would  require  little  or  no 
further  consideration  on  my  part  to  accept  the  call." 

"  And  do  you  think,"  asked  Pufendorf,  "  that  there  is 
any  danger  of  this  ?" 

"  The  Lord  is  wonderful  in  counsel,"  replied  the 
court-chaplain.  "  Should  my  gracious  sovereign  in 
future  persist  in  refusing  to  listen  to  my  vindication, 
and  should  my  enemies  succeed  in  keeping  alive  the 
prejudice  of  his  Electoral  Highness  against  me,  all 
this  may  possibly  happen,  though  several  of  the  most 
distincfuished  ministers  have  assured  me  that  his  Elec- 


41 6  PHILIP P  JACOB   SPENER. 

toral  Highness  is  too  noble-minded  to  permit  matters 
to  come  to  such  a  pass." 

"  But  how,"  continued  the  privy  counselor,  "  could 
such  a  conviction  in  regard  to  what  is  the  will  of  the 
Lord  be  produced  in  your  mind,  reverend  sir?" 

"  How?"  repeated  Spener.  "Alas,  I  know  not 
whether  it  is  weakness  of  the  flesh  or  want  of  faith — 
yet  I  can  assure  your  Excellency  that  I  find  it  by  no 
means  an  easy  task  to  discover  the  will  of  God  in 
regard  to  such  proposals.  That  I  was  torn  from  my 
dear  congregation  at  Frankfurt,  and  brought  to  this 
place  by  a  wonderful  providence,  and  not  by  any 
means  of  man's  devising,  I  have  become  fully  con- 
vinced in  various  ways  by  striking  evidences.  I  am  as 
confident  that  the  call  which  brought  me  to  Dresden 
came  from  God,  as  if  I  had  heard  it  issuing  directly 
from  heaven — for  which  reason  I  am  also  equally  con- 
fident that  the  Lord  had  His  wise  and  weighty  reasons 
for  bringing  me  here.  And  it  is  on  this  account  that  I 
find  it  difficult  to  give  up  my  present  position." 

"  Do  you  judge  this  by  the  blessing  that  has  attended 
your  labors  here  ?"  asked  Pufendorf 

"  The  amount  of  what  I  have  accomplished,"  said  the 
Doctor,  "  during  my  four  years'  residence  here,  is,  of 
course,  not  as  great  as  might  be  expected.  Moreover 
I  see,  to  my  great  regret,  that  what  is  still  left  undone 
is  much  more  than  that  which  has  been  done.  Yet  I 
entertain  the  comfortable  assurance  that  our  faithful 
God  has  not  left  the  imperfect  labors  of  His  miserable 
servant  here  and  there  without  His  blessing — yea, 
many  an  opposition  which  I  have  experienced  may  be 
regarded  as  an  evidence   that   the  work  of  the  Lord 


SECOND    CALL    FROM   THE    NORTH.  ^ly 

which  I  have  performed  has  been  unusually  painful  to 
the  arch  enemy  of  all  good,  wherefore  he  is  also  con- 
tinually offering  mc  increased  resistance.  It  is  just  on 
this  account  that  I  am  inclined  to  hope  that  if  I  only 
patiently  and  humbly  submit  to  my  God,  and  continue 
to  labor  on,  much  good  will  yet  be  accomplished.  If  I 
should,  therefore,  leave  my  post  before  the  Lord's  time 
would  I  not  assume  a  great  responsibility,  and  take  a 
step  which  I  might  afterwards  have  cause  to  regret  ? 
Your  Excellency  sees,  therefore,  plainly,  that  I  cannot 
give  up  my  present  charge  without  mature  deliberation, 
and  not  before  I  have  become  perfectly  convinced  that 
God,  who  has  brought  me  here,  intends  to  send  me 
somewhere  else." 

"  My  most  excellent  and  pious  friend,"  said  the  privy 
counselor,  "  how  happy  would  all  mankind  be,  if  all 
were  as  anxious  to  know  and  do  the  will  of  God  as  you 
are !  How  many  hundreds  of  your  brethren,  situated 
as  you  are,  and  laboring  under  similar  disadvantages, 
would  unhesitatingly  accept  another  call !  It  is  painful 
that  such  difificulties  are  in  your  way." 

"  It  is  painful,  my  noble  sir,"  continued  Spener, 
"that  my  gracious  sovereign,  whose  actual  pastor  I 
am,  has  been  for  so  long  a  time  disaffected  towards  me. 
Painful,  especially,  that  so  many  others  have  thereby 
been  emboldened  in  their  hatred  against  me,  and  pain- 
ful, above  all,  that  my  own  brethren  in  the  ministry 
show  such  great  opposition  to  me  in  my  labors.  But  I 
must  not  complain ;  for  the  Almighty  has  hitherto  pro- 
tected me  in  the  discharge  of  my  calling  by  His  mighty 
arm,  and  so  disposed  the  hearts  of  many  among  the 
high  and  noble,  that  no  injury  has  befallen  me.     Thus 


4j8  PHILIPP   JACOB   SPENER. 

far,  my  hands  have  not  been  tied  in  my  spiritual  minis- 
trations ;  and  I  have,  moreover,  the  happiness  of  know- 
ing, by  almost  daily  experience,  that  I  have  gained  a 
goodly  number  of  grateful  hearts.  Therefore,  I  would 
go  too  far  if  I  were  to  complain  of  persecution  ;  and 
though  the  Lord  should  have  determined  to  try  my 
faith  and  patience  still  further,  yet  I  cannot  in  con- 
science feel  myself  justified,  for  these  reasons,  in  resign- 
ing a  charcfe  to  which  the  Lord  has  called  me." 

"  But  could  it,"  suggested  Pufendorf,  "  really  be 
regarded  as  a  sin  against  God,  if,  in  your  decision,  you 
should  somewhat  consult  your  own  bodily  and  mental 
health  ?" 

"Not  unconditionally!"  replied  the  court-chaplain. 
"  I  most  readily  acknowledge,  that  the  situation  which 
has  been  graciously  offered  to  me,  is  preferable  both 
on  account  of  my  disposition,  and  mode  of  life  in  gen- 
eral, especially  as  it  releases  me  from  the  duties  of  the 
confessional,  as  well  as  on  account  of  the  numerical 
superiority  of  the  congregation,  from  which  I  might 
expect  an  enlargement  of  my  sphere  of  usefulness ;  so 
that  personal  considerations  could  not  prevent  me  from 
going  to  Berlin,  especially  since  there  can  be  no  doubt 
of  finding  there,  no  less  than  here,  the  necessary  sup- 
port for  myself  and  family.  But,  my  noble  sir,  neither 
our  own  advantage,  nor  our  comfort,  nor  our  inclina- 
tion, should  determine  our  choice ;  nor  are  we  to  con- 
clude that  a  large  congregation  holds  out  a  surer  pros- 
pect of  usefulness  than  a  small  one.  Therefore,  your 
excellency  sees  again,  that  to  satisfy  my  conscience  in 
regard  to  the  proposed  change  in  my  field  of  labor,  I 
must  have  still  more  and  clearer  evidences  of  its  being 


SECOND    CALL    FROM  THE   NORTH.  ^ig 

the  will  of  God.  All  depends  upon  my  being  certain 
on  this  point.  Should  I  remain  or  go  in  opposition  to 
the  will  of  God,  I  could  not  look  for  His  blessing." 

"  In  that  event  all  labor  would  of  course  be  in  vain," 
remarked  the  privy  counselor.  "  Yet,  pardon  me,  rev- 
erend sir,  may  you  not,  after  all,  require  too  much,  and 
magnify  the  difficulties  in  the  way  of  your  decision." 

"  It  is  true,"  replied  Spener,  "  God  has  imparted  to 
some  of  His  servants  so  much  light  and  strength,  that 
they  can,  in  cases  of  this  kind,  see  their  way  perfectly 
clear,  and  feel,  as  it  were,  an  internal  call,  as  soon  as 
they  have  prayerfully  and  seriously  considered  the 
subject ;  but  to  me  God  has  not  given  this  grace, 
wherefore,  I  must  submit  everything  to  His  decision." 

"  What,  then,  is  to  be  done  ?"  asked  the  privy  coun- 
selor. 

"I  would,"  replied  Spener,  "first  of  all,  humbly 
request  His  Electoral  Highness  of  Brandenburg,  or 
whomsoever  he  has  intrusted  with  this  matter,  to  seri- 
ously and  solemnly  reconsider  the  whole  subject  of 
my  call  and  situation  in  all  its  bearings,  whether  I  may 
really,  as  far  as  it  is  possible  for  man  to  determine, 
accomplish  more  good  in  the  situation  offered,  than  in 
the  one  I  now  hold,  and  whether  the  will  of  God  may 
or  may  not  be  apprehended  in  reference  thereto. 
Should  the  result  of  such  a  reconsideration  incline  to 
the  opinion  that  it  is  my  duty  to  remain  here,  God  will 
then  certainly  also  point  out  the  individual  who  is  to 
labor  there  in  my  stead,  and  I  would  ever  be  under 
obligations  of  profound  gratitude,  obedience  and  prayer 
to  His  Electoral  Highness,  for  the  attention  with  which 
he  has  been  graciously  pleased  to  regard  me.     Should, 


420  PHILIPP  JACOB   SPENER. 

however,  on  the  other  hand,  the  result  lead  to  a 
determination  to  send  me  a  call,  His  Electoral  High- 
ness of  Brandenburg  would,  in  such  an  event,  not 
hesitate  to  address  himself  to  my  gracious  sovereign, 
His  Electoral  Highness  of  Saxony,  in  whose  service 
I  am  engaged,  on  the  subject  of  my  dismission.  And 
to  the  adoption  of  whatever  course  the  great  God 
would  incline  the  heart  of  my  gracious  sovereign,  I 
would,  with  a  conscience  perfectly  at  rest,  either  stay 
or  go." 

"  I  feel,"  said  the  privy  counselor,  "  how  indispens- 
ably necessary  such  a  conviction  is,  to  a  faithful  per- 
formance of  the  work  of  the  ministry,  and  the  weighty 
responsibilities  connected  therewith.  I  thank  you,  rev- 
erend sir,  for  having,  by  your  kind  and  frank  com- 
munication at  least  given  me,  and  all  who  are  cast- 
ing longing  looks  towards  you  from  Berlin,  the  hope 
of  eventually  seeing  you  in  our  midst.  An  all-wise 
God  will  direct  all  for  the  best.  You,  my  excellent 
friend,  will  allow  me  to  pay  you  another  visit,  before 
my  final  departure  ?" 

"Your  excellency  shows  my  humble  person  too 
much  honor,"  replied  the  court-chaplain  to  his  visitor, 
who  had  risen  to  depart.  "As  for  the  rest,  I  will,  with 
you,  humbly  call  on  the  great  God  our  heavenly 
Father,  that  He  will  direct  this  entire,  and  certainly 
most  important  affair,  and  the  hearts  of  all  those  whose 
duty  it  is  to  speak  and  advise  in  reference  thereto,  in 
such  a  way,  as  may  best  tend  to  the  sanctification  of 
His  name,  the  extension  of  His  kingdom,  and  the 
accomplishment  of  His  will.  But  of  you  I  ask  more 
especially  a  continuation,  in  future,  of  that  friendship 


SECOND    CALL    FROM   TILE   NORTH.  42 1 

with  which  you  have  hitherto  honored  me.  And  now, 
my  noble  sir,  may  God  bless  you." 

"  How  vividly  you  recall  to  my  mind  the  image  of 
my  good,  sainted  father,"  remarked  Pufendorf,  moving 
to  depart,  and  shaking  the  court-chaplain  heartily  by 
the  hand.  "  Would  that  he  had  enjoyed  the  happiness 
of  an  acquaintance  with  you  and  your  labors." 

"By  the  grace  of  God,"  replied  Spener,  "we  shall 
meet  above." 


CHAPTER    XXIV. 

THE    PAINFUL    PROPOSAL. 

"  How  then,  can  I  do  this  great  wickedness,  and  sin  against  God  ?" 
— Gen.  xxxix.  g. 

THE  manifold  trials  and  painful  sufferings  of  this 
pious  man,  as  we  have  here  faithfully  recorded 
them,  cannot  have  failed  in  eliciting  the  deepest  interest 
and  most  hearty  sympathy  of  the  gentle  reader.  It 
may  be  asked,  Why  was  he  hated  and  persecuted  ? 
He  was  assailed  on  account  of  his  teachings;  yet  he 
had  given  the  most  ample  proof  that  he  stood  upon 
the  sure  foundation  of  the  Word  of  God.  He  was 
censured  for  the  manner  in  which  he  conducted  his 
office;  yet,  where  was  there  a  minister,  at  that  time, 
if  we  except  August  Hermann  Franke,  who  could 
compare  with  him  in  true  piety,  in  genuine  devotion, 
and  in  untiring  activity  in  promoting  the  kingdom  of 
God  ?  It  is  almost  incredible  to  what  extent  malevo- 
lence, vindictiveness,  blind  zeal  for  the  maintenance  of 
the  so-called  true  faith,  envy,  jealousy,  and  many  other 
still  baser  impulses,  had  conspired  for  the  purpose  of 
opposing  and  crushing  a  man  who  labored,  as  far  as 
mere  Christian  piety  could,  for  the  true  welfare  of 
mankind  with  the  greatest  devotion  and  self-denial. 

In  Leipzig  the  pleasures  and  perverseness  of  the 
world  had,  indeed,  sown  many  tares  among  the  wheat 
sown  by  Franke  and  his  friends,  and  found  means  to 

(422) 


THE   PAINFUL    PROPOSAL. 


423 


bring  the  good  cause  of  practical  Christianity  into  bad 
repute.  A  formal  and  extensive  investigation  had 
been  commenced,  and  all  upon  whom  rested  the  sus- 
picion of  participating  in  any  of  the  private  meetings, 
convened  for  mutual  edification,  were  punished;  if  lay 
members,  with  arrest;  if  students,  with  the  forfeiture 
of  their  benefices;  if  officials,  with  suspension.  Count- 
less bills  of  indictment  were  filed,  in  which  those  con- 
cerned were  charged  with  every  imaginable  offence 
against  the  sovereign,  the  ministerium,  the  church,  the 
secular  authorities,  discipline  and  order.  Instead  of 
earnestly  and  impartially  examining  the  cause  of  the 
avidity  with  which  the  people  received  religious  in- 
struction as  imparted  by  Spener  and  Franke,  namely, 
the  sterile  and  unfruitful  faith  in  the  Word,  with  which 
they  had  hitherto  been  supplied;  instead  of  exercising 
a  zealous  care  that  Spener's  work,  that  true,  sincere 
and  active  faith  of  the  Christian  which  enters  into  his 
very  heart  and  life,  might  be  maintained  as  taught  by 
the  gospel,  and  not  abused  by  ignorance,  perverseness 
and  the  pleasures  of  the  world,  and  changed  into  one- 
sided and  hypocritical  pietism,  but  into  its  true  essence 
— instead  of  this  they  preferred  to  pluck  out  the  tares 
with  the  wheat,  with  a  ruinous  severity,  as  if  it  con- 
cerned the  extermination  of  a  fearful  heresy  or  the 
punishment  of  the  greatest  crime. 

Amid  all  this,  Spener's  name  and  simple-hearted 
labors  suffered  the  most  vulgar  and  disgraceful  abuse, 
much  as  the  pious  man  strove  to  separate  his  word 
and  work  from  the  word  and  work  of  his  misguided 
friends.  In  obedience  to  the  command  of  the  Elector, 
the  reports  of  the  examination  were  sent  to  the  court- 


424  PHILIP P  JACOB   SPENER. 

chaplain  with  the  view  to  have  him  express  his  judg- 
ment and  opinion  in  reference  thereto,  and  suggest  the 
best  means  of  correcting  the  existing  disorders.  This 
was,  of  course,  commendable.  Spener,  in  two  detailed 
reports,  established  the  innocence  of  most  of  the  ac- 
cused, as  well  as  the  original  purity  of  the  work  which 
had  been  attacked,  and  suggested,  for  the  correction  of 
the  abuses  that  had  crept  in,  a  most  excellent  remedy.* 
He  asked  that  the  term  "Pietism"  should  be  abolished, 
and  the  charges  against  it  withdrawn,  and  that  every- 
thing should  be  restored  to  the  position  it  occupied 
before  these  abuses  existed.  But  his  request  received 
little  or  no  notice;  least  of  all  did  it  succeed  in  regain- 
ing the  confidence  of  the  Elector.  When  the  latter 
returned  in  the  autumn  of  this  year  (1690)  from  his 
campaign,  he  expressed  loud  and  publicly  the  continu- 
ance of  his  displeasure  with  the  court-chaplain,  visited 
Dresden  but  seldom,  and  then  only  for  a  few  days  at  a 
time,  and  was  heard  repeatedly  to  express  himself  to 
the  effect  that  it  was  much  to  be  regretted  that  he  could 
no  longer  reside  in  Dresden  on  account  of  his  confessor. 
His  friends  in  Berlin  hesitated  to  pursue  the  course 
which  Spener  "had  recommended,  because  a  request  of 
this  kind,  made  by  one  sovereign  to  another,  was  rather 
a  hazardous  undertaking,  and  also  because  it  was  feared 
the  Elector  might  refuse  compliance.  These  fears 
were  not  without  foundation,  inasmuch  as  the  bitter- 
ness of  the  Elector's  enmity  towards  Spener  was  cer- 
tainly not  uniform,  and  his  feelings  seemed  gradually 
again  to  grow  milder.  Spener  himself  bore  this  trying 
situation  with  all  the  calmness  and  submissiveness  of  a 

*See  his  Theolog.  Bedenken,  Vol.  iii.,  pp.  777-817. 


THE   PAINFUL    PROPOSAL. 


425 


pious  heart  and  a  good  conscience,  continued  unwearied 
in  his  labors,  and  did  every  thing  calculated  to  restore 
himself  to  the  favor  of  his  gracious  sovereign. 

In  the  month  of  February  of  the  following  year 
(1691),  the  Elector  was  taken  ill  during  his  stay  at 
Moritzburg.  Spener  hearing  of  it,  burned  with  a  de- 
sire to  address  to  his  sovereign  words  of  comfort,  and 
hoped  to  be  favored,  if  not  with  a  special  request,  at 
least  with  a  favorable  opportunity  for  carrying  his  de- 
sire into  effect.  But  in  vain.  The  Elector  recovered 
and  returned,  for  a  few  days,  to  Dresden.  And  as 
Spener  was  here  also  disappointed  in  finding  an  oppor- 
tunity to  speak  with  the  Elector,  and  as  His  Highness 
soon  again  left  Dresden,  his  feelings  constrained  him 
to  testify  in  writing  what  he  had  not  been  permitted  to 
disclose  by  word  of  mouth. 

He  addressed  to  the  Elector  the  following  letter : 

"  Grace,   peace,  salvation,  and    life    from    our    most 
faithful   Saviour,  Jesus,   who  has  purchased  all  these 
with  His  blood. 
"  Serene  Prince,  Gracious  Elector  and  Sovereign  : — ■ 

"That  which  would  have  afforded  me  the  greatest 
happiness  to  have  testified  to  your  Electoral  Highness, 
during  your  late  and  agreeable  sojourn  in  this  place, 
by  paying  my  humble  respects  to  you  in  person  (had  I 
not  had  reason  to  be  apprehensive  that  my  presence 
might  still  be  unwelcome),  I  do  now,  in  all  due  submis- 
sion, by  this  present  writing. 

"  I  herewith  humbly  thank  our  heavenly  Father,  from 
whom  alone  life  and  every  good  gift  emanates,  that  He 
in  His  fatherly  goodness,  as,  to  my  great  joy,  I  have 


426  PHIL  IFF  JACOB  SFENER. 

been  informed,  has  so  far  again  nearly  delivered  you 
from  your  late  illness,  and  by  so  doing  strengthened 
anew  the  hopes  of  the  country  in  regard  to  you. 
Next  I  humbly  entreat  the  same  God,  from  my  inmost 
soul,  that  He,  as  the  great  physician  and  preserver  of 
our  lives,  will  not  only  pour  all  manner  of  temporal 
and  spiritual  blessings  upon  your  august  government, 
but  also,  and  especially  impart  anew  to  your  Electoral 
Highness,  His  enlivening  power,  remove  wholly  what 
still  remains  of  your  former  illness,  continue  and  daily 
increase  your  restored  strength,  grant  you  grace  to  em- 
ploy it  in  a  manner  acceptable  to  Him,  effectually  turn 
aside  from  you  all  further  afflictions  and  dangers,  pre- 
serve in  you  a  faithful  father  to  your  subjects,  and  the 
blessed  head  of  your  august  family,  and  in  fine  answer 
all  my  prayers  which  I  offer  many  times  daily  on  my 
knees  (which  He  alone  knows),  and  according  to  the 
measure  of  the  Spirit  each  time  given  me,  to  His 
Divine  Majesty,  for  your  temporal,  spiritual,  and  eternal 
happiness. 

"  May  He,  the  Father  of  all  goodness,  who  has  com- 
manded us  to  pray  in  confidence,  and  promised  to  an- 
swer us  in  mercy,  permit  none  of  these  words  to  fall  to 
the  ground,  but  cause  them  to  be  a  blessing  for  time 
and  for  eternity,  for  the  sake  of  His  dear  Son  Jesus,  to 
whose  divine  protection,  consolation,  care,  and  guid- 
ance, I  most  sincerely  commend  your  Highness,  to- 
gether with  your  whole  august  house. 
"Your  Electoral  Highness' 

"  Most  humble  and  obedient  servant, 

"  Philipp  Jac.  Spener. 

**  Dresden,  March  2d,  1691." 


THE   PAINFUL    PROPOSAL.  427 

Could  that  pious,  sorely  tried  man  have  addressed 
his  princely  sovereign  in  language  more  affectionate, 
more  tender  and  more  free  from  resentment  for  the 
wrongs  he  had  received  ?  Certainly  not !  Yet  this 
letter,  too,  was  destined  to  fall  short  of  producing  the 
desired  effect.  The  wall  of  partition  between  the 
Elector  and  his  confessor  once  raised,  could  only  with 
difficulty  be  thrown  down  by  human  hands.  The  con- 
fidence between  two  hearts  resembles  too  closely  a 
tender  plant,  from  which,  by  some  mishap,  the  fertiliz- 
ing dust  has  been  shaken,  and  which  no  human  wis- 
dom and  skill  can  ever  again  replace.  The  wound  in- 
flicted by  distrust  retains  its  hidden  sting,  even  though 
external  friendliness  should  indicate  a  reconciliation  of 
the  heart.  Why  is  this  ?  Has  God  so  ordered  it,  that 
existing  differences  cannot  be  adjusted,  and  severed 
souls  cannot  again  be  united?  Surely  not;  for  Chris- 
tianity is  that  divine  institution  which  is  designed  to 
unite  again  what  has  been  separated,  to  reclaim  the 
lost,  and  reconcile  those  who  are  estranged.  It  is 
man's  own  doing,  man's  obstinacy,  if  such  wounds 
are  not  entirely  healed.  A  complete  reconciliation 
requires,  of  course,  a  mutual  and  honest  acknowledg- 
ment of  guilt,  sincere  repentance  and  brotherly  love, 
which  continually,  and  with  every  sacrifice,  tend  to 
make  amends  for  the  evil  that  has  been  done,  by  giving 
way  to  hostile  feelings.  Such  is,  however,  but  seldom 
the  case ;  for  even  though  one  of  the  parties  should  ar- 
rive at  this  genuineness  of  reconciliation,  the  other  will 
be  wanting  in  a  like  genuineness.  It  is  painful  that 
two  individuals,  who  are  equally  in  the  fault,  so  rarely 
possess  the  courage  and  ability  to  make  mutual  confes- 


428  PHI  LIP P  JACOB  SPENER. 

sion  of  their  fault.  They  are  wanting  in  humihty  and 
self-denial,  and  so  the  declaration  of  the  Scripture  finds 
its  application:  "God  resisteth  the  proud,  but  giveth 
grace  to  the  humble."     James  iv.  6. 

If  we  apply  these  reflections  to  the  relation  in  ques- 
tion between  the  Elector  and  Spener,  it  can,  of  course, 
only  be  properly  accounted  for,  by  forming  a  correct 
estimate  of  the  then  existing  condition  of  things — the 
lamentable  schism  between  faith  and  practice,  and  the 
great  agitation  in  the  Church  in  general — subjects  into 
which  we  cannot  here  enter,  just  as  little  as  we  allow 
ourselves  to  sit  in  judgment  on  the  merits  of  a  contro- 
versy which  has  not  yet  been  brought  to  a  conclusion. 
We  say  not  yet ;  for  in  our  own  times,  more,  almost, 
than  then,  every  earnest  endeavor  to  regulate  faitJi  and 
life,  as  one  in  itself,  according  to  the  gospel,  yea,  even 
loyalty  to  the  glorious  Confession  of  our  Evangelical 
Lutheran  Church,  is  branded  with  the  invidious  party- 
name  of  "Pietism;"  so  that  even  the  most  pure  and 
sincerely  pious  Christian  is,  on  that  very  account,  un- 
ceremoniously denounced  as  a  Pietist.  It  seems  as  if 
the  word  piety  has  been  formally  interdicted. 

We  again  resume  the  thread  of  our  narrative,  and 
learn  first  what  an  unexpected  reply  our  esteemed 
Doctor  received  to  this  kind  letter. 

About  eight  days  after  it  had  been  written  two  gen- 
tlemen entered  Spener's  study.  He  was  alarmed  when 
he  recognized  in  them  the  president  of  the  high  con- 
sistory, von  Beuchling,  and  the  privy  counselor,  von 
Senkwitz.  Both  greeted  the  court-chaplain  with  un- 
feigned kindness,  though  they  could  not  altogether 
conceal  an  expression  of  sorrow   over   the    cause  of 


THE    PAINFUL    PROPOSAL.  429 

their  visit.  Spener,  generally  much  inclined  to  timid- 
ity, noticed  this,  and  said: 

"  Your  excellencies  are  certainly  the  bearers  of  an 
unpleasant  message." 

"Our  mission,"  returned  the  president,  "is  certainly 
not  altogether  agreeable  to  us,  and  we  regret  exceed- 
ingly that  it  is  not  in  our  power  to  avoid  executing  it. 
However,  I  hope  that  God  will  in  this,  as  He  does  in 
all  other  matters,  dispose  all  for  the  best." 

"What  has  happened?"  quickly  asked  the  court- 
chaplain.  "  His  Electoral  Highness  sends  me  my  dis- 
mission; is  it  not  so,  noble  sirs?" 

"No,  reverend  doctor!"  replied  the  president.  "I 
dare  assert,  that  our  serene  Elector  and  sovereign, 
however  greatly  he  may  regret  the  existing  relation, 
entertains  still  too  much  respect  for  you  and  your 
labors,  to  resort  to  such  extremes.  And  had  our 
gracious  sovereign  selected  me  as  the  bearer  of  such  a 
message,  I  should  scarcely  have  possessed  the  courage 
to  communicate  it  to  you,  my  reverend  colleague." 

"  Nor  should  I ! "  added  Herr  von  Senkwitz,  and 
continued :  "  I  know  well,  reverend  doctor,  how  diffi- 
cult it  will  be  for  you  to  give  credit  to  this,  my  assur- 
ance; for  I  regret  to  say  that  you  find  no  evidence 
from  the  past  for  so  doing.  Yet  I  am  not  ashamed  to 
confess  that  I  have  done  you  great  injustice.  Since  I 
have  learned  to  know  you  better,  I  have  sincerely 
repented  of  whatever  I  may  have  done  against  you  in 
word  and  deed,  and  have  spared  no  effort  to  make 
amends  for  the  injuries  inflicted.  But  the  Lord  has, 
thus  far,  not  seen  fit  to  crown  these  efforts  with  success, 
though  He  has  in  so  far  comforted  me,  as  to  enable  me 


430  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

to  behold  in  you,  reverend  sir,  His  instrument,  and  to 
love  and  esteem  you  with  my  whole  heart.  O,  why  is 
it,  that  your  affectionate,  pious  utterances,  do  not  enter 
the  hearts  of  all  who  come  near  you  ?  " 

Spener  stood  before  these  two  gentlemen  in  silence, 
and  with  folded  hands,  whilst  his  face  was  beaming 
with  the  reflection  of  heartfelt  gratitude  to  God.  After 
some  time,  he  said,  "  Well,  and  what  is  the  object  of 
your  mission,  noble  sirs?" 

"  The  estrangement  between  our  most  gracious  sov- 
ereign and  yourself,"  now  said  the  president,  "has 
already,  as  you  know,  continued  for  two  years ;  and 
greatly  as  I  at  first  had  reason  to  hope  that  all  would 
be  restored  again  to  its.  former  condition,  and  much  as 
appearances  indicated  such  a  result,  these  hopes  have, 
nevertheless,  not  been  realized.  And  it  cannot  be 
denied  that  the  assurance  which  our  gracious  sov- 
ereign received  from  a  certain  noble  person  in  Leipzig, 
namely,  of  having  seen  a  copy  of  the  letter  in  question, 
has  revived  and  increased  his  animosity  towards  you." 

"  But,"  remarked  Spener,  "  why  did  his  Electoral 
Highness  not  cause  this  matter  to  be  more  fully 
investigated  ?  God  is  my  witness,  that  I  am  not  con- 
scious of  any  unfaithfulness  in  reference  thereto." 

"  God  alone  knows,"  said  the  privy  counselor,  "where 
the  key  to  this  mystery  is  to  be  found.  That  there  is 
some  foul  play  connected  with  it,  is  almost  beyond  a 
doubt;  but  this  only  increases  the  difficulty,  as  neither 
our  gracious  sovereign,  nor  that  other  high  personage, 
can  be  laid  under  suspicion,  because  the  conscientious- 
ness of  both  is  placed  beyond  all  doubt.  A  more  min- 
ute investigation  was  not  feasible,  because  it  would  have 


THE   PAINFUL    PROPOSAL. 


431 


had  to  be  commenced  with  that  high  personage. 
Since,  however,  I  am  perfectly  convinced  of  your 
honesty,  reverend  sir,  as  well  as  of  that  of  your  famulus, 
I  must  acknowledge,  that  I  can  scarcely  conjecture 
how  the  mystery  can  possibly  be  solved." 

"  However  that  may  be,"  added  the  president,  "  it 
was,  in  every  respect,  a  most  deplorable  circumstance 
that  this  should  have  occurred,  again  to  unsettle  his 
returning  confidence,  just  at  a  time  when  the  Elector's 
mind  had  become  quite  calm.  Besides,  it  cannot  be 
denied  that  the  scandalous  proceeding  instituted  in 
regard  to  the  conventicles  of  the  so-called  pietists, 
who,  in  ignorance,  perverted  your  good  work,  as  well 
as  the  complaint  publicly  preferred  against  Master 
Franke  and  his  friends,  have  filled  the  mind  of  our 
serene  sovereign  with  doubts  and  fears,  especially  be- 
cause a  certain  party,  as  you  are  well  aware,  my 
honored  colleague,  have  taken  great  pains  to  implicate 
you  and  your  work,  in''it.  Hence,  it  may  easily  be 
seen  why  distrust,  once  created,  inclines  more  to  those 
who  accuse,  than  to  those  who  acquit." 

"  Is  it  then  true,"  asked  the  court-chaplain,  "that  his 
Electoral  Highness  has  repeatedly  said  that  he  can  no 
longer  reside  in  Dresden  on  my  account?" 

"  Unhappily,  I  cannot  deny  this,"  replied  Herr  von 
Senkwitz,  "  having  myself  heard  him  make  such  a 
remark,  though  not  recently." 

"  How  deeply  this  grieves  me !"  said  the  court-chap- 
Iain,  with  an  expression  of  the  sincerest  sorrow.  "  I, 
who  am  called  to  bring  my  most  gracious  sovereign 
consolation  and  peace,  must  be  told  that  my  presence 
causes  only  uneasiness  and  confusion." 


432  PHILIPP  JACOB   SPENER. 

"  Might  not  this  be  an  indication,"  the  president  now 
continued,  somewhat  timidly,  "that  your  labors  should 
end  here,  and  begin  somewhere  else  ?" 

"  What  does  your  excellency  mean  by  this  ?"  quickly 
asked  Spener, 

"  Let  me  be  candid  with  you,  my  dear  friend.  Unfor- 
tunately, it  cannot  be  denied  that  there  is  a  breach  be- 
tween you  and  our  most  gracious  sovereign,  and  that 
there  exists  but  little  hope,  in  view  of  the  present  ex- 
cited state  of  feeling,  of  a  reconciliation  being  brought 
about,  at  least  for  some  time  to  come.  This  state  of 
things,  as  may  easily  be  perceived,  must  lead  to  many 
inconveniences,  and  even  cause  much  disturbance  in 
the  church.  I  have,  therefore,  been  commissioned  by 
his  Electoral  Highness,  to  induce  you,  reverend  doc- 
tor, voluntarily  to  resign  your  office.  The  execution 
of  this  commission  would  be  doubly  painful  to  me,  if  I 
had  not,  at  the  same  time,  been  authorized  to  assure 
you  of  the  gracious  continuation  of  your  support,  as 
well  as  of  that  of  your  wife,  during  life,  and  if  I  did 
not,  in  addition,  entertain  the  comforting  assurance, 
that  your  friends  in  Berlin  are  only  waiting  for  your 
release  here,  in  order  to  call  you  immediately  to  an 
equally  honorable  ix)st  there." 

Even  before  the  President  concluded,  Spener's  coun- 
tenance had  assumed  a  look  of  the  greatest  aston- 
ishment, which  was  immediately  followed  by  an  ex- 
pression of  the  deepest  sorrow.  He  folded  his  hands 
upon  his  breast,  and  said :  "  This  is  hard  and  grievous. 
But,  noble  sirs,  humbly  as  I  have  always  submitted  to 
the  will  of  my  gracious  sovereign,  in  matters  where  it 
concerned  human  regulations,  in  this  case  I  cannot  do 


THE   PAINFUL    PROPOSAL. 


433 


it.  This  is  the  Lord's  business.  I  MUST  STAY, 
AND  INTEND  TO  STAY  TILL  HE  HIMSELF 
CONDUCTS  ME  HENCE,  OR  TILL  I  AM 
DRIVEN  AWAY." 

"Is  this  your  fixed  determination?"  asked  the  presi- 
dent, in  surprise. 

"  Most  assuredly,  your  excellency!"  assured  Spener, 
with  unusual  firmness.  "That  I  am  here,  is  not  owing 
to  my  own  choice.  I  have  contributed  nothing  in 
the  least,  neither  by  word  of  mouth  nor  in  writing,  to- 
wards leaving  my  congregation  in  Frankfurt.  I  have 
the  strongest  evidence  that  God  Himself  brought  me 
here  by  means  of  the  Electoral  call.  And  this  same 
God  is  my  witness,  even  though  men  should  refuse  to 
acknowledge  it,  that  I  have  hitherto  labored  faithfully, 
according  to  the  strength  given  me,  and  that  no  one 
can  accuse  me  of  having  been  a  hireling.  Were  I  vol- 
untarily to  resign  my  office,  I  should  be  sinning  against 
my  God,  who  has  Himself  said  to  me :  '  Go  and  feed 
my  flock.' " 

"  But,  my  dearest  friend,"  replied  the  President, 
"  should  you  not  recognize  in  the  desire  manifested  to 
have  you  in  Berlin  another  call  from  the  Lord  ?" 

"  If  I  were  free,"  replied  the  court-chaplain,  "  or  if 
my  most  gracious  sovereign  were  to  drive  me  away 
from  here  by  the  power  of  his  word,  I  should,  of  course, 
examine  this  desire  further,  whether  the  will  of  God 
could  be  recognized  in  it.  But,  I  am  not  free.  I  am 
still  the  divinely  called  servant  of  my  Electoral  sov- 
ereign. I  cannot  voluntarily  resign,  without  incurring 
a  sin  which  would  follow  me  to  the  land  of  eternal 
righteousness.  If  I  have  deserved  my  dismission,  I 
19 


434  'PHILIPP  JACOB   SPENER. 

shall  unmurmuringly  submit  to  the  will  of  my  most 
gracious  sovereign,  and  go  whenever  he  bids  me  do  so." 

The  president  stood  with  downcast  eyes,  and,  after 
awhile,  said :  "  I  can  offer  nothing  in  opposition  to 
such  a  firm  and  pious  declaration,  for  I  feel  in  my 
inmost  soul  that  you  are  right." 

"  Reverend  sir,"  added  the  privy  counselor,  "  I  knew 
beforehand  that  you  could  not  speak  otherwise.  I 
should  leave  you  with  a  sorrowing  heart  had  I  not  the 
firmest  conviction  that  your  stay  among  us,  or  your 
departure  from  us,  will  be  in  accordance  with  the  will 
of  God.  Since  we,  however,  do  not  know  the  will  of 
God  beforehand,  it  becomes  us  to  do  whatever  our  duty 
before  men  and  our  consciences  requires.  God  grant 
that  I  may  succeed,  by  better  informing  him,  in  dis- 
pelling the  suspicion  kept  alive  in  the  Elector's  mind, 
by  certain  individuals  near  his  person." 

The  president  expressed  his  regret  also,  that  it  had, 
in  a  manner,  been  made  his  duty  to  remove  a  man  from 
a  country  to  which  he  had  been  so  great  a  blessing, 
and  that  he  could  not  give  up  the  idea  that  this  bless- 
ing would  depart  from  it  with  him.  He  would,  there- 
fore, still  endeavor  to  do  what  he  could,  but  would,  at 
the  same  time,  request  the  Doctor  to  submit  his  views 
in  writing  to  the  college  of  privy  counselors.  Upon 
this,  the  two  gentlemen  left  the  room  with  expressions 
of  the  deepest  sympathy. 

Meanwhile,  all  hope  appeared  vain.  On  the  next 
day  Spener  was  requested  anew  to  comply  with  the 
wish  of  the  Elector,  and,  after  he  had  once  more  taken 
the  subject  into  prayerful  consideration,  he  addressed 
the  following  letter  to  the  college  of  privy  counselors : 


THE   PAINFUL    PROPOSAL.  4^5 

"When  their  excellencies,  the  Director  and  President 
of  the  High  Consistory,  commissioned  by  your  body, 
informed  me  of  the  explicit  demand  of  our  most 
gracious  sovereign,  that  I  might  be  induced  voluntarily 
to  resign  my  office  as  court-chaplain,  in  order  to  avoid 
difficulties,  and,  when  they  solicited  my  views  in  refer- 
ence thereto,  I  at  once  stated  them  verbally,  in  all  due 
obedience  and  out  of  the  simplicity  of  my  heart.  Since 
then,  I  have  not  ceased  to  lay  the  whole  matter  in 
frequent  and  earnest  prayer,  before  the  Almighty,  in 
whose  hands  all  things  are,  and  in  His  fear  deliberated 
upon  and  maturely  considered  what  I  ought  to  do. 
But  after  having  weighed  everything,  I  find  that  I  can 
give  no  other  answer  than  that  already  verbally  sub- 
mitted, namely,  tliat  I  cannot  conse^it,  zuith  a  good  con- 
science, to  a  voluntary  resigjtation.  For  however  willii'vg 
I  am,  and  however  much  in  duty  bound  to  obey  the 
gracious  will  of  His  Electoral  Highness  in  all  matters 
not  belonging  to  God,  yet  I  cannot  do  so  in  this, 
because  this  belongs  to  God. 

"The  office  I  hold  is  not  of  my  seeking,  nor  have  I 
contributed  anything  towards  gaining  it,  but  it  has 
been  divinely  conferred  on  me,  through  the  call  of  his 
Electoral  Highness,  and  I  was  therefore  sent  here  by 
the  Holy  Trinity,  in  whose  name  the  call  had  to  be 
made  out.  Hence,  I  have  hitherto  endeavored  to  labor 
faithfully  according  to  the  strength  given  me;  and, 
unless  God  Himself  remove  me,  I  do  not  feel  myself 
at  liberty  to  resign,  but  must  wait  patiently  to  the  end. 
And  as  my  dismission,  which  I  have  not  deserved — for 
I  do  not  apprehend  that  any  charge  against  me  can  be 
sustained — could  not   take   place  without  an    offence 


436  PHILIPP  JACOB   SPENER. 

against  Him,  whose  servant  I  am  by  virtue  of  His 
highest  call,  nor  without  causing  not  only  regret  but 
scandal  among  many;  and,  besides  making  an  unfavor- 
able impression  at  home  and  abroad,  among  our  own 
and  other  churches,  yea,  even  upon  posterity,  I  cannot 
do  anything  towards  it  without  violating  my  conscience 
and  becoming  a  partaker  of  such  guilt  before  God. 
But  if  the  Lord  of  lords,  in  His  holy  will,  which  is 
always  good,  and  which  also  knows  how  to  bring  good 
out  of  evil,  should  have  determined  otherwise  concern- 
ing me,  by  assigning  me  another  field,  I  must  at  least 
expect  it  in  such  a  way  that  I  may  not  thereby  expose 
myself  to  the  displeasure  of  God,  the  regret  of  Chris- 
tians, and  the  just  condemnation  of  the  world  and 
of  posterity;  but  be  able  to  go,  if  need  be,  with 
my  whole  heart,  wherever  the  holy  will  of  God,  which 
I  had  first  recognized  by  these  signs,  should  lead  me. 
"Being  therefore  of  opinion,  that  the  illustrious  col- 
lege is  not  only  desirous  of  knowing  what  conclusion 
I  have  arrived  at  in  reference  to  this  matter,  but  also  to 
have  my  opinion  in  writing,  I  have  therefore  regarded 
it  as  my  bounden  duty  to  repeat,  in  this  letter,  my  un- 
alterable determination.  But  the  whole  subject  in 
which  I  am  unable  to  act,  I  commit  in  humble  and 
childlike  submission  and  in  sincere  prayer,  to  the  Lord 
of  lords  and  Chief  Bishop  of  all  His  servants,  beseech- 
ing Him  to  control  his  Electoral  Highness,  together 
with  all  his  ministers,  in  regard  to  this  important  mat- 
ter in  such  a  way  as  may  best  promote  His  will  and 
kingdom,  keep  all  consciences  free  from  being  violated, 
and  produce  a  blessing  upon  Church  and  State. 


THE   PAINFUL   PROPOSAL. 


437 


"Committing  your  illustrious  persons  and  families  to 
the  care  and  blessing  of  God,  I  remain  yours,  etc., 

"  Phil.  Jac.  Spener,  D. 

^*  Dresden,  March  i^th,  i6gi" 

A  few  days  after  this  document  had  been  despatched, 
the  court^chaplain  was  summoned  to  appear  before  the 
Electress.  What  there  transpired,  shall  appear  in  our 
next  chapter. 


CHAPTER    XXV. 

THE    FRUITLESS    MEDIATOR. 

"  Wherefore  goest  thou?  Return  to  thy  place  and  abide  with  the 
King." — 2  Sam.  xv.  19. 

''T^HE  Electress,  Anna  Sophia,  the  eldest  daughter 
X  of  Frederick  III.,  King  of  Denmark,  who  had 
been  affianced  to  her  royal  consort  as  early  as  1663, 
when  he  was  on  a  visit  to  Copenhagen,  being  only  in 
his  sixteenth  year,  had  been  reared,  like  her  royal 
sister  of  Sweden,  by  pious  parents,  in  the  fear  of  the 
Lord,  and  had  approved  her  pure  piety,  hitherto,  as  also 
at  a  later  period,  amid  all  those  severe  trials  which  had 
been  laid  up  for  her  maternal  heart.  Her  soul  clung 
to  her  pastor  with  special  reverence,  and  true  confi- 
dence, and  it  must,  therefore,  have  been  doubly  painful 
to  her  that  her  serene  consort,  unfortunately  prompted 
by  various  vexatious  occurrences,  had  withdrawn  from 
him  that  implicit  confidence  which  he,  at  one  time, 
reposed  in  him,  and  was  even  contemplating  to  dismiss 
him  from  his  office. 

As  Spener  entered  her  apartment,  she  met  him  with 
great  kindness,  and  said :  "  My  dear  Doctor,  I  have 
been  impatiently  expecting  you.  What  do  you  think 
of  me?" 

"What  do  I  think  of  your  Electoral  Highness?" 
repeated  the  court-chaplain;  "certainly  every  thing 
that  is  good.  I  have  only  this  morning  prayed  for 
your  Electoral  Grace,  with  increased  earnestness." 

(438) 


THE  FRUITLESS  MEDIATOR. 


439 


"For  what  special  reason?"  asked  the  Electress. 
"  Have  you  discovered  a  new  weakness  in  me,  and, 
therefore,  kindly  interceded  for  me  with  God?  " 

"All  of  us,"  replied  Spener,  "  stand  continually  in 
need  of  intercession  with  God,  and  if  men  should  forget 
to  offer  it,  we  have  the  promise  that  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  will  do  it  for  us.  We  all  commit  many  faults, 
and  our  secret  sins  are  more  numerous  than  our  public 
offences.  However,  your  Highness,  I  have  not  had 
occasion  to-day  even  to  think  of  this.  I  thanked  God 
on  your  account,  and  besought  Him  to  continue  to 
give  you  light,  strength,  love,  grace  and  life,  and  if  I 
may  venture  to  express  it,  preserve  to  me  your  favor  in 
the  future." 

"  How  could  I  be  otherwise  than  kindly  disposed 
towards  you?"  replied  the  Electress.  "  I  owe  you  so 
much  that  I  can  never  repay  it  with  any  earthly 
treasure.  You  first  have  opened  to  me  the  true  under- 
standing of  the  Holy  Scriptures.  You  have  made  the 
Christian's  duty  plainer  to  me  than  it  had  ever  been 
made  before.  You  have  taught  me  rightly  to  examine 
my  heart.  You  have  always  explained  the  will  of 
God  to  me  in  such  a  way  that  I  recognized  it  with  my 
whole  soul.  Your  prayers  with  and  for  me  have 
always  been  effectual  in  bringing  me  strength  and  the 
necessary  measure  of  faith  and  confidence  from  the 
Lord.  In  my  trials  and  temptations  you  have  ad- 
dressed to  me  such  words  of  Christian  consolation, 
that  I  could  always  find  again  my  joy  in  God.  All 
this  constitutes  a  debt  so  great  that  I  shall  never  be 
able  to  forget  or  to  discharge  it." 

"  If  my  words,"    replied   Spener,  "  have   proved  a 


440  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

blessing  to  your  Electoral  Highness,  a  fact  which  I 
acknowledge  with  the  deepest  gratitude,  the  praise  be- 
longs only  to  Him  who  has  promised  us  salvation, 
grace  and  deliverance,  for  the  sake  of  His  dear  Son.  I 
am  only  the  Lord's  poor  and  humble  servant,  and  find, 
alas,  that  there  is  still  so  much  before  me  unaccom- 
plished and  unfinished,  that  I  have  just  reason  to  be 
afraid,  if  the  Lord  should  this  day  call  me  to  account." 

"Ah,  I  feel,"  said  the  Electress,  "to  what  you 
allude,  dear  Doctor.  And  this  is  the  reason  why  I 
asked  you  what  you  thought  of  me.  My  Electoral 
lord  and  consort  has  been  prejudiced  against  you  by 
your  enemies  and  opponents,  and  you  know " 

"  It  does  not  become  me,"  Spener  respectfully  inter- 
rupted the  Electress,  "  to  pass  judgment  upon  the  rea- 
sons which  may  have  induced  your  serene  lord  and 
consort  to  adopt  his  present  course  towards  me.  I 
know  well  that  I  am  too  weak  to  regain  the  lost  confi- 
dence of  my  most  gracious  sovereign,  and  to  remove 
effectually  the  difficulties  that  have  arisen  between  us. 
This  is  the  only  thing  that  deeply  pains  me ;  as  for  the 
rest,  I  wait  quietly  for  whatever  the  Lord  has  dcr 
termined  concerning  me." 

"  Do  not  leave  us !"  entreated  the  royal  suppliant. 
"  Do  not  leave  me  and  my  children.  God  knows  how 
often  I  have  attempted  to  remove  the  seeds  of  mistrust 
against  you  out  of  the  heart  of  my  lord  and  consort; 
but  I  was  too  weak.  I,  of  course,  feel  that  this  state  of 
things  cannot  continue  as  it  has  done  during  the  last 
two  years ;  but,  dear  sir,  is  there  no  way,  that  even  in 
the  event  of  your  laying  down  your  office,  you  might 
still  remain  in  Dresden.     You  have  refused  to  resign  ?" 


THE   FRUITLESS  MEDIATOR.  441 

"  Could  I  do  otherwise  ?"  said  Spener.  "A  volun- 
tary resignation,  under  the  circumstances,  would  be 
nothing  short  of  a  virtual  dismission,  and  this,  I  trust, 
I  have  not  deserved.  If  my  most  gracious  sovereign, 
whose  will  I  have  neither  the  power  nor  the  disposition 
to  oppose,  discharge  me,  I  must  needs  go,  and  shall  go 
without  a  murmur.  But  to  aid  personally,  I  cannot.  I 
cannot  commit  such  a  sin  against  my  God,  who  has 
called  me  here." 

"  God  forbid,"  exclaimed  the  Electress,  "  that  any 
one  should  persuade  you  to  do  so.  But  there  is  still  an- 
other way  to  keep  you  here,  and  that  too.  Reverend  Sir, 
spiritually  engaged,  although  in  an  official  capacity  dif- 
fering from  that  which  you  now  occupy.  Will  you  al- 
low me  to  state  my  proposition  ?" 

"  Your  Electoral  Highness  can  desire  only  what  is 
just  before  God  and  man,"  replied  the  court-chaplain. 

"  Well,  then  !"  continued  the  good  Electress,  "  sup- 
pose your  office  as  confessor  to  my  Electoral  lord  and 
consort,  and  also,  to  our  entire  house,  should  be,  in 
consequence  of  this  lamentable  state  of  things,  trans- 
ferred to  some  one  else,  though  this  latter  has  not  yet 
been  determined  upon  ;  you  might  still  retain  your  office 
as  court-chaplain.  And  in  the  event  of  the  use  of  our 
royal  chapel  being  denied  you,  there  are  other  churches 
in  Dresden  where  you  could  preach.  For,  my  dear 
Doctor,  if  I  am  no  longer  to  hear  your  sermons,  I  shall 
lose  much  of  my  peace." 

Spener  remained  silent  and  thoughtful  for  a  mo- 
ment, and  then  replied :  "  If  this  should  be  brought 
about  and  ordered  without  my  assistance,  I  will  concur 
with  heartfelt  pleasure,  and  willingly  stay  and  labor, 
19* 


442  PHILIPP   JACOB   SPENER. 

where  and  in  whatever  sphere  God  may  call  me. 
Still,  I  dare  not  conceal  from  your  Electoral  High- 
ness, that  I  fear,  that  if  my  gracious  sovereign  is 
anxious  to  have  me  away,  he  will  not  accept  this  pro- 
posal." 

"  I  shall  do  what  lies  in  my  power,"  said  the  noble 
woman,  with  unaffected  kindness,  "now  that  I  know 
your  disposition.  For,  you  see,  my  dear  Doctor,  if 
Sunday  comes,  and  I  can  no  longer  hear  you  explain 
the  Scriptures,  and  edify  the  congregation,  it  will  be  a 
sorrowful  Sunday  to  me." 

"But  if,  after  all,  it  should  still  be  the  will  of  God 
that  I  should  go  ! "  suggested  the  court-chaplain. 

The  Electress  seemed  strucTc  by  this  remark.  A 
change  in  her  color  showed  that  she  was  unusually 
agitated.  "  If  this  should  be  so ! "  she  said,  as  if 
speaking  to  herself  "  With  you  peace  came  into  my 
heart — suppose  this  peace  were  again  to  depart  with 
you  ?" 

"God  forbid!"  replied  the  pastor.  "Those  who 
seek  the  peace  of  the  Lord,  find  it  at  all  times.  'Ask/ 
says  the  Saviour,  '  and  it  shall  be  given  unto  you.'  " 

But  these  words  seemed  not  to  chase  the  shadow 
from  the  soul  of  the  Electress.  And  it  was  not  until 
three  months  after  Spener's  departure,  that  both  under- 
stood what  had  so  agitated  their  souls. 

For  a  time  deep  silence  reigned,  which  the  court- 
chaplain  did  not  venture  to  break,  and  during  which  the 
true-hearted  woman,  engaged  with  her  own  thoughts, 
kept  her  eyes  fixed  on  her  folded  hands.  Then  she 
said :  "As  the  Lord  wills  it,  so  let  it  be.  I  cannot  exist 
and  labor  for  the  kingdom  of  my  God  without  your 


THE   FRUITLESS   MEDIATOR. 


443 


instruction  and  consolation.  Will  you  promise  me, 
that  in  whatever  situation  you  may  hereafter  be  placed, 
I  may  always  apply  to  you  for  advice ;  and  will  you, 
also,  if  I  give  you  opportunity,  favor  me,  at  times,  with 
a  visit  and  spiritual  consolation?" 

"  If  God  gives  me  life  and  strength,  with  all  my 
heart!"  replied  Spener,  giving  a  fraternal  pressure  to 
her- proffered  hand. 

"  Now  I  feel  more  at  ease,"  continued  the  Electress. 
"  God  direct  you,  and  dispose  all  for  the  best.  I  desire 
now  to  be  alone,  to  commune  with  my  God.  Remem- 
ber me  kindly  to  your  dear,  good  wife." 

Spener  withdrew  with  a  joy  in  his  heart,  greater 
than  that  which  he  had  left  in  the  heart  of  the  pious 
princess.  How,  and  in  what  way,  God  enabled  him  to 
redeem  his  promise,  we  shall  relate  hereafter. 


Spener's  presentiment  that  the  Elector's  displeasure 
would  not  give  place  to  renewed  confidence,  approached 
more  and  more  to  a  certainty.  The  Electress  was  not 
successful  in  removing  the  distrust  of  her  lord  and  con- 
sort, and  her  proposal  met  with  an  unconditional 
rejection.  Thereupon,  the  privy  counselors,  and  among 
these,  more  especially,  Herr  von  Senkwitz  and  the 
president  of  the  High  Consistory,  Herr  von  Reuch- 
ling,  made  two  attempts,  by  means  of  a  petition,  to 
change  the  Elector's  mind,  but  in  vain.  They,  too, 
may  now  have  felt,  that  under  existing  circumstances, 
an  entire  and  sincere  reconciliation  was  barely  possible, 
and,  therefore,  desisted  from  their  entreaties,  for  they 
had  reason  to  fear  that  by  these  very  representations 
they  were  only  making  bad  worse.     Had  the  Elector 


444  PHIL  IP P  JACOB   SPENER. 

known,  indeed,  that  the  time  of  his  own  departure  was 
so  very  near,  he  would  not  have  hastened  that  of 
Spener,  nor  would  it  have  first  required  the  entreaties 
of  his  serene  spouse  and  ministers  to  prevail  upon  him 
to  do  what  in  the  innermost  depth  of  his  heart  he 
doubtless  desired,  but  which,  owing  to  the  influence  of 
external  circumstances,  he  was  prevented  from  doing. 

In  this  embarrassing  situation,  the  privy  council 
itself,  without  the  knowledge  of  either  the  Elector  or 
court-chaplain,  sent  an  intimation  to  the  committee  in 
Berlin,  that  the  time  for  the  adoption  of  the  measure, 
which  Spener  had  himself  suggested,  had  now  arrived. 
This  was  done,  not  without  some  misgivings  that 
possibly  it  might  be  too  lat*.  For  they  had  learned 
that,  under  the  conviction  that  the  Elector  might,  after 
all,  again  change  his  mind,  and  thus  refuse  compliance 
with  their  request  to  give  Spener  up  to  them,  strenuous 
efforts  had  been  made  to  supply  a  post,  which  had 
been  already  too  long  vacant. 

But  here  it  became  most  clearly  apparent  how  God 
Himself  had  assisted  in  the  matter,  and  how  all  had  been 
prepared  by  Him  in  advance.  On  the  14th  of  March, 
Spener  had  submitted  a  written  statement  to  the  Col- 
lege of  privy  counselors,  and  on  the  21st  of  March, 
just  one  week  after  the  Elector  of  Brandenburg,  en- 
couraged by  the  letter  of  the  privy  council,  had  de- 
spatched his  request  to  the  Elector  of  Saxony ;  and 
again,  a  week  after  this,  on  the  28th  of  the  same  month, 
the  Elector  Frederick  HI.  signed-the  call,  which  was 
placed  into  Spener's  hands  on  the  2d  of  April.  Pre- 
viously, however,  the  court-chaplain  received  the  fol- 
lowing autograph  letter  from  his  gracious  sovereign  : 


THE  FRUITLESS  MEDIATOR. 


445 


"  By  the  Grace  of  God,  John  George  the  Third,  Duke 
of  Saxony,  Jiihch,  Cleve,  and  Berg,  also  Engern,  and 
Westphaha,  &c.,  Elector,' &c. 
"  Worthy,  Very  learned,  Dear,  Devout  and  Faithful : — 
"  We  have  received,  from  our  well-beloved,  the  Elec- 
tor of  Brandenburg,  a  letter,  dated  Collu  an  der  Spree, 
on  the  2ist  of  this  month,  in  which  they  kindly  request 
us  to  deign  to  give  you  up  to  them,  inasmuch  as  they 
design  to  appoint  you  Provost  and  Inspector  of  the 
church  of  St.  Nicolas,  in  their  capital,  the  city  of  Ber- 
lin, and  Counselor  of  the  Consistory.  Not  wishing  to 
deny  the  request  of  their  Serene  Highness,  we  have 
already  given  our  consent  to  your  removal;  in  conse- 
quence of  which,  we  herewith  give  you  notice  of  the 
same,  so  that  you  may  act  accordingly,  when  you  shall 
receive  your  call  from  the  Elector  of  Brandenburg. 
And  yet,  that  you  and  yours  may  also  be  assured  of  our 
favor,  even  when  no  longer  in  our  service,  we  have 
ordered  that,  in  addition  to  your  traveling  expenses, 
your  wife  shall  receive  the  annuity  we  have  promised 
to  be  paid  to  her,  not  only  from  the  date  of  this  our 
gracious  letter  of  dismission,  in  regular  quarterly  in- 
stallments, but  to  be  continued  to  her  to  the  day  of  her 
death. 

Still  further,  we  shall  favorably  remember  you  and 
yours,  in  all  other  matters. 

"  Given  at  our  Castle  of  Hartenfelt,  at  Torgau,  this 
31st  day  of  March,  Anno  1691. 

"John  George,  Elector. 
"  To  the  worthy  and  profoundly  learned  chief  Court- 
chaplain,  Confessor,  Counselor,  and  Assessor  of  the 
High  Consistory,  well-beloved,  devout  and  faithful, 
Philipp  Jacob  Spener,  D.  D." 


446  PHILIP P  JACOB   SPENER. 

And  now,  since  our  dear  doctor  was  fully  convinced 
that  God  was  about  calling  him  from  Dresden  to  Ber- 
lin, his  soul  had  again  become  perfectly  calm,  and  he 
patiently  bore  all  opposition  in  word  and  deed,  raised 
against  him  in  increased  violence,  especially  by  a  great 
part  of  his  ministerial  brethren,  with  Dr.  Carpzov,  ot 
Leipzig,  at  their  head.  Our  Lord  says,  "  wheresoever 
the  carcass  is,  there  will  the  eagles  be  gathered." 
When  the  displeasure  of  the  Elector  with  his  confessor 
had  become  known,  the  entire  host  of  his  secret  ene- 
mies mocked  him  who  was  afflicted.  But  thanks  be  to 
God,  that  this  calamity,  which,  if  it  had  befallen  his 
revilers,  would  have  appeared  to  them  an  unheard  of 
and  insupportable  misfortune,  was  for  the  court-chap- 
lain, only  a  "  child's  trial"  of  his  faith  and  patience. 
We  could,  moreover,  feel  assured  that  the  displeasure 
of  his  Electoral  sovereign  proceeded  from  other  causes, 
than  the  scorn  of  his  learned  and  distinguished  ene- 
mies; and  the  sincere  attachment  of  the  Electress 
and  of  both  the  princes,  which  he  still  retained,  the 
true  love  of  the  people,  the  respect  he  commanded 
in  other  countries,  the  confidence  with  which  he  had 
been  received  by  the  Electoral  house  of  Brandenburg, 
the  comforting  consciousness  of  a  pure  heart  and  con- 
science, and,  above  all,  the  firm  conviction  that  he  was 
engaged  in  the  service  of  his  Lord,  and  by  Him  chosen 
for  this,  richly  compensated  him  for  every  injustice, 
and  enabled  him  to  draw  consolation  and  courage  from 
the  words  of  divine  inspiration,  "  If  God  be  for  us,  who 
shall  be  against  us?  " 

And  this  man,  who  might  well  have  been  proud  of 
the  blessed  results  with  which  he  had  already  labored 


THE   FRUITLESS  MEDIATOR. 


447 


for  the  kingdom  of  God  on  earth,  and  who,  from  the 
communications  he  received  from  kings  and  princes, 
and  learned  laymen  of  all  countries  where  the  German 
language  was  spoken,  in  such  numbers,  that  though  he 
wrote  over  six  hundred  letters  per  annum,  he  was  still 
sometimes  six  months  in  arrears  with  his  answers, 
might  have  concluded  that  his  name  was  far  and  favor- 
ably known — this  man  writes  to  his  future  colleagues 
in  Dresden,  in  a  spirit  of  such  humility,  and  almost 
child-like  entreaty  to  receive  him  into  their  favor,  and 
reports  the  leading  events  of  his  life  in  a  way,  as  if  he 
was  not  conscious  that  they  had  ever  been  brought  to 
public  notice  before,  that  one  might  have  been  led  to 
believe  that  the  letter  came  from  an  obscure  and  un- 
known country  clergyman,  who  had  suddenly  been 
raised  from  his  quiet  and  retired  field  of  labor  to  the 
highest  spiritual  office.* 

A  like  spirit  of  humility  and  affecting  modesty  is 
breathed  in  another  letter,  addessed  by  him,  on  the 
1 8th  day  of  May,  in  the  same  year,  to  the  burgomaster 
and  council  of  Berlin,  and  in  which  he  assures  them 
with  childlike  simplicity  that  the  very  wise  council  of 
Frankfurt  would  undoubtedly  bear  him  witness  to  this 
day,  that  he  had  in  no  way  interfered  with  their  pre- 
rogatives, or  given  them  cause  to  utter  any  complaint 
against  him. 

His  removal  to  Berlin  was  now  hastened  with  all 
earnestness,  because  the  pastorate  there  having  been 
already  vacant  an  entire  year,  called  loudly  for  a 
supply.  He  had  taken  formal  leave  of  the  Electress 
and  the  princes,  at  Cossdorf,  a  country-seat,  and  favor- 

*  See  Theol.  Bed.  III.,  p.  854  f.  " 


AAg  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

ite  resort  of  the  Electoral  family,  in  the  vicinity  of  Tor- 
gau;  being,  however,  at  that  time  too  deeply  affected 
to  say  all  he  in  his  capacity  as  confessor  felt  constrained 
to  say,  he  wrote,  on  the  25th  day  of  May,  to  both 
princes,  as  only  a  father  can  write  to  his  children.  To 
the  crown  prince,  afterwards  Elector,  John  George  IV., 
among  other  things,  he  wrote  that  he  could  testify  be- 
fore God,  that  he  had  earnestly  desired  and  sought  the 
salvation  of  his  soul,  though  he  sincerely  wished  he 
had  done  so  with  greater  energy  and  wisdom,  and  that, 
in  the  discharge  of  this  duty,  he  had  never  been  neg- 
lectful; for  he  was  well  aware  of  his  weakness  and 
errors,  which  the  pure  eye  of  God  could  not  but  have 
everywhere  detected  in  his  labors,  but  hoped  for  par- 
don from  the  fatherly  goodness  of  God  and  the  kind- 
ness of  the  serene  crown-prince.  Then  he  exhorts 
him  to  constant  and  earnest  prayer,  beseeches  him  to 
exhibit,  in  all  things,  the  fruit  of  the  Word  of  God  and 
its  influence,  and  closes  with  the  kindest  instructions 
for  the  promotion  of  the  prosperity  of  his  future  life 
and  reign. 

A  similar  humble  request  for  the  pardon  of  his  errors 
and  short-comings,  he  addressed  to  the  second  prince, 
Frederick  August,  afterwards  Elector  and  King  of 
Poland,  at  the  same  time  exhorting  him  to  be  ever 
mindful  of  the  holy  omnipresence  of  God,  and  giving 
him  the  most  earnest  exhortations  and  directions  for  a 
truly  godly  life.  In  both  letters,  however,  he  commits 
the  princes  to  the  faithful  care  and  love  of  their  pious 
mother,  who,  he  prayed,  might  long  be  preserved  by 
the  all-merciful  Father,  for  the  good  of  the  Electoral 


THE   FRUITLESS  MEDIATOR. 


449 


house,  and  meet  with  an  abundant  reward  for  the  faith- 
fulness displayed  by  her  in  their  careful  training. 

Eight  days  after,  on  Whit-Monday,  the  ist  of  June, 
1 69 1,  Spener  preached  his  farewell  sermon,  in  the 
Electoral  chapel,  with  a  sincerely  affected  heart,  to  a 
deeply  affected  audience.  He  preached  on  the  gospel, 
John  iii.  16-21,  his  theme  being  the  sum  of  the 
WHOLE  DOCTRINE  OF  SALVATION.  In  it  he  Confessed, 
in  reference  to  his  removal  to  Berlin,  that  at  the  time 
of  his  being  called  from  Frankfurt  to  Dresden,  he  had 
already  had  a  presentiment  that  inasmuch  as  he  was 
compelled  to  go  one  mile,  he  would  be  forced  to  go 
twain.     (Matt.  v.  41.) 

On  the  day  following  he  addressed  a  farewell  letter 
to  his  most  gracious  sovereign  which,  for  the  satisfac- 
tion of  the  reader,  we  here  subjoin  : 
"Divine  grace,  peace,  salvation  and  life,  with  a  rich 

measure  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  through  Jesus  Christ, 

our  most  faithful  Saviour: 

"  Most  Serene  Prince,  Most  Gracious  Elector  and 
Sovereign: — The  time  having  arrived,  that  I,  in  ac- 
cordance with  my  dismission  by  your  Electoral  High- 
ness to  his  Highness  the  Elector  of  Brandenburg,  from 
whom  I  have  received  a  call,  and  in  obedience  to  what 
a  concurrence  of  events  indicates  to  me  as  the  will  of 
God,  should,  in  the  name  of  God,  enter  upon  my  de- 
parture. I  feel  constrained,  before  doing  so,  to  take 
my  humble  leave  of  your  Electoral  Grace. 

"First.  I  humbly  thank  you  for  all  the  favors  of 
which  I  and  mine  have  hitherto  been  the  recipients,  as 
well  as  for  those  which  you  have  most  graciously 
secured  to  us  in  the  future,  and  pray  that  for  all  these 


450  PHILIPP  JACOB   SPENER. 

many  favors  the  Lord  of  lords  may  abundantly  reward 
you.  As  regards  the  private  reasons  that  induced  the 
determination  to  dismiss  me,  I  have  not  to  inquire  into 
them,  but  leave  them  to  the  conscience  of  your  Elec- 
toral Highness,  and  to  whatever  God  may  yet  reveal 
in  reference  thereto;  I  yet,  at  the  same  time,  assure 
your  Electoral  Highness  in  the  presence  of  the  omnis- 
cient and  great  God,  before  whose  judgment-seat  we 
must  appear  (and  I  know  not  when  this  may  be  the 
case  with  me),  that  during  the  whole  course  of  my 
ministry  (though  I  am  not  able  to  justify  myself  before 
His  high  judgment-seat,  since  He  required  much  more 
earnestness  and  discretion  than  I  have  shown),  I  meant 
well  for  your  Electoral  Highness  in  all  my  sermons 
and  other  addresses,  and  have  done  all  from  the  hum- 
blest love  with  the  most  honest  intentions,  and  accord- 
ing to  the  promptings  of  my  conscience  in  the  sight 
of  God,  and  without  selfishness  ;  nor  taught  I  any- 
thing, at  any  time,  before  your  Electoral  Highness  or 
the  congregation,  either  in  public  or  private,  except 
what,  according  to  my  best  understanding,  was,  in  all 
points,  in  accordance  with  the  Holy  Scriptures  and  the 
symbolical  books  by  which  I  am  bound,  of  which  I  am 
prepared,  at  any  time,  to  give  account  to  God  the  King 
of  truth,  to  your  Electoral  Highness,  and  to  the  Church 
at  large. 

"Though  I  herewith  humbly  lay  down  my  office,  I 
shall,  nevertheless,  hold  myself,  at  all  times,  bound  to 
pray  for  your  Electoral  Highness,  at  the  throne  of 
grace,  as  long  as  I  live,  that  the  great  God  and  Lord 
of  lords,  who,  in  His  pleasure,  has  appointed  you  to 
a  high  position  and  confided  to  you  an  important  trust, 


THE   FRUITLESS  MEDIATOR. 


451 


will,  according  to  His  holy  will,  not  only  continue  to 
preserve  you,  prolong  your  health,  lighten  or  alto- 
gether relieve  you  of  the  cares  which  have  hitherto 
rested  upon  you,  but  will  pour  every  needed  blessing 
upon  your  august  house,  and  prosper  your  reign  in 
every  possible  respect. 

"But,  above  all,  may  He  impart  to  your  soul  a  rich 
measure  of  His  Holy  Spirit,  that,  through  Him  you 
may  truly  learn  to  know  how  you  appear  in  the  sight 
of  God ;  especially  purify  yourself  of  all  that  is  dis- 
pleasing to  Him,  so  that  you  may  daily  lift  up  your 
face  to  your  heavenly  Father  with  joy,  be  washed  with 
the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  be  enabled  to  serve  him 
during  your  whole  life  with  a  peaceful  heart,  and  enter, 
at  last,  as  one  of  the  redeemed  into  glory.  To  meet 
you  there  is  my  most  ardent  wish,  with  which  I  seal 
my  sincerest  desires  ;  and,  finally,  commending  you  to 
the  protecting,  preserving  and  controlling  grace  of  God 
the  Highest,  I  remain,  prayerfully  and  devotedly, 
"  Your  Electoral  Highness' 

"  Most  humble  servant, 
"  Philipp  Jacob  Spener. 

"Dresden,  Jiaie  ^d,  1691." 


CHAPTER    XXVI. 

THE  DEPARTURE. 
Go  in  peace. — 2  Kings  v.  19. 

WEDNESDAY  after  Whitsuntide,  on  the  3d  day 
of  June,  1691,  at  early  dawn,  two  travehng 
wagons,  laden  with  luggage,  were  standing  before  the 
house  of  the  court-chaplain,  in  Dresden.  Early  as  it 
was,  a  large  concourse  of  people,  both  high  and  low, 
old  and  young,  had  assembled  in  such  numbers  that 
the  entire  street  seemed  blocked  up.  All  the  windows 
of  the  neighboring  houses  were  open  and  filled  with 
human  faces ;  whilst,  directly  opposite,  at  the  Elec- 
toral palace,  a  woman,  dressed  in  black,  appeared  for  a 
few  minutes  at  a  closed  window,  casting  a  long  and 
painful  look  across  towards  the  parsonage,  and  then, 
hiding  her  eyes  in  her  handkerchief,  slowly  retired. 

"  Was  not  that  the  Electress  ?"  asked  a  voice  from 
the  crowd. 

"It  was!"  replied  another.  "Alas,  she  sustains  a  loss 
even  greater  than  we  do!" 

The  assembled  multitude  was,  otherwise,  as  quiet  as 
it  was  earnest ;  many,  very  many  eyes  were  filled  with 
glistening  tears,  of  which  none  seemed  to  be  ashamed. 
Only  now  and  then  expressions  of  lamentation  were 
heard.  These  came  especially  from  a  small  group  of 
four  individuals,  who,  keeping  close  together,  appeared 
mutually  to  comfort  each  other. 

(452) 


THE   DEPARTURE. 


453 


"Alas !  why  must  it  have  come  to  this !"  said  a 
young  man,  in  a  tone  of  the  deepest  sorrow. 

"With  him  departs  the  joy  and  comfort  of  my  old 
age,"  added  an  aged  citizen. 

"  Dear  father,"  said  a  young  woman,  "  God  forbid ! 
The  words  he  addressed  to  us  yesterday,  for  the 
last  time,  should  not  have  failed  to  inspire  you  with 
consolation  and  courage  sufficient  to  enable  you  to 
bear  his  departure  with  Christian  fortitude,  and  to 
adore,  though  with  a  sorrov/ful,  yet  still  with  an  hum- 
ble heart,  the  wonderful  ways  of  the  Lord.  And 
should  not  the  grace  of  God  enable  us,  by  our  love,  to 
be  the  joy  and  solace  of  your  old  age !" 

"  You  are  right,  Elizabeth,"  replied  the  father ;  "  yet 
if  you  could  comprehend  and  feel  my  sorrow  at  the 
departure  of  this  man  !" 

"  If  I  could  ?"  repeated  the  young  woman,  mourn- 
fully shaking  her  head.  "  God  will  give  strength  to 
console  us  for  that  which  we  lose.  Uncle,"  she  said, 
turning  to  the  fourth,  a  man  advanced  in  life,  "  say 
something  to  comfort  us." 

But  the  personage  addressed  kept  his  hands  crossed 
upon  his  back,  and  his  eyes  bent  to  the  ground.  After 
awhile  he  said,  as  if  to  himself,  "  The  Lord  needs 
laborers  in  His  vineyard." 

Not  far  from  this  group,  nearer  to  the  castle  gate, 
stood  two  men,  who,  having  just  met,  hastily  saluted 
each  other. 

"  Well,  sir  Master,"  exclaimed  the  one,  pointing  with 
a  malicious  sneer  towards  the  traveling  wagons  op- 
posite, "at  last!" 

"  Yes,  indeed,  tandem  aliquando,  my  highly  esteemed 


454  PHILIPP   JACOB   SPENER. 

cousin,"  replied  the  other.  "  But  when  will  my  time 
come  ?  Tempus  plcnmn,  as  it  is  written  in  Galatians, 
fourth?" 

''Yojtr  time?"  asked  the  other.  "That  will  come 
too,  AT  LAST,"  he  added,  assuringly,  with  a  distin- 
guished air;  and  hastened  through  the  crowd,  as  rapidly 
as  an  occasional  detention  would  permit. 

The  crowd  now  became  more  noisy  and  restless. 
The  door  of  the  court-chaplain's  dwelling  opened.  A 
woman  in  a  traveling  dress,  and  with  tearful  eyes, 
stepped  out,  carrying  upon  her  arm  a  boy  about  three 
years  old.  She  was  followed  by  her  other  older 
children,  whom  she  seated  in  the  two  wagons.  After 
she  had  settled  herself  in  the  first  wagon,  a  man  came 
out  of  the  house ;  a  black  skull-cap  covered  his  head, 
and  soft  auburn  hair  fell  in  natural  ringlets  over  his 
shoulders  and  back.  When  he  beheld  the  large  con- 
course of  people,  his  large  blue  eyes  filled  with  tears; 
he  cast  a  long  and  lingering  look  towards^the  windows 
of  the  castle,  opposite,  whilst  the  spirit  of  silent  prayer 
was  hovering  upon  his  lips.  The  multitude  was  as 
silent  and  earnest  as  he.  At  length,  he  entered  the 
wagon,  solemnly  repeating,  "  Lord,  thy  will  be  done,  as 
in  heaven,  so  on  earth ! " 

And  now  the  wagons  wended  their  way  through  the 
George's  gate,  at  a  slow  rate,  on  account  of  the  people 
who  followed,  pressing  on  both  sides,  making  loud 
demonstrations  of  sorrow.  Near  the  bridge  which 
crosses  the  Elbe,  the  throng  increased,  and  the  further 
the  wagons  passed  along  Meissner  street  towards 
White  gate,  the  larger  became  the  multitude  of  fol- 
lowers.    When  the  travelers  had  passed   beyond  the 


THE   DEPARTURE. 


455 


gate,  where  the  street  enters  the  open  country,  and 
the  great  concourse  pressed  continually  closer  around 
the  wagon,  our  traveler  commanded  a  halt  and  de- 
scended from  his  wagon.  He  was  immediately  sur- 
rounded by  the  sorrowing  multitude,  among  whose 
immense  numbers  a  silence  reigned,  so  profound,  so 
breathless,  that  the  song  of  the  lark  overhead  could  be 
distinctly  heard.     Then  he  opened  his  lips,  and  said : 

"  Do  not,  I  pray  you,  weep,  and  break  my  heart ! 
One  thing  I  ask  of  you,  that  you  do  not  place  too  high 
a  value  on  the  loss  you  may  sustain  by  my  removal ; 
for,  though  my  God  has  imparted  unto  me  some 
spiritual  gifts,  of  which  I  dare  not  even  esteem  myself 
worthy,  yet  the  measure  of  them  is  not  so  great  as  to 
justify  you  in  your  complaints.  But  I  entreat  the  Lord 
of  lords,  who  bids  me  go  hence,  that  He  will  impart  to 
His  remaining  servants  so  many  gifts,  and  bless  them 
so  abundantly,  that  no  soul  which  truly  seeks  Him, 
shall,  in  the  least,  be  deprived  of  anything  that  may  in 
any  way  tend  to  its  encouragement  and  edification. 
And  though  you  may  be  obliged  to  dispense  with  some 
of  the  exercises  in  which  we  have  engaged,  such  as  the 
examina,  in  regard  to  the  continuation  of  which  I  am 
not  able  to  give  you  any  hope,  you  may  still,  easily, 
make  up  for  the  benefit  hitherto  derived  therefrom, 
either  by  devoutly  reading  the  Scriptures  and  other 
devotional  books  privately,  or  in  company  with  other 
intimate  Christian  friends ;  engaging  at  the  same  time 
in  Christian  conversation  and  prayer,  for  your  mutual 
edification.  Believe  me,  I  have  abundantly  experienced 
that  such  exercises  are  attended  with  incalculable 
benefit,  and  that  wherever  they  are  not  engaged  in,  a 


456  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

great  deal  of  good  is  prevented  from  being  accom- 
plished. In  short,  my  dear  friends,  our  Saviour  loves 
the  souls,  who  endeavor  to  grow  in  His  communion, 
far  too  heartily  to  permit  them  to  want  anything  that 
may  be  calculated  to  promote  it.  The  seeming  want 
must  only  increase  and  intensify  your  desire  so  much 
the  more;  for  the  more  fervent  this  desire  becomes, 
the  more  closely  the  Lord  approaches  and  unites  Him- 
self to  you.  Hence,  wherever  you  meet  with  edifying 
exercises,  do  not  despise  them,  but  engage  in  them 
diligently  and  cheerfully.  But  if,  on  the  other  hand, 
3/0U  should  be  deprived  of  them,  be  satisfied,  and 
endeavor  to  be  contented  with  that  which  the  Lord 
gives  you  always.  This  I  wish,  from  the  bottom  of 
my  heart,  to  all  among  you,  who  view  my  departure 
with  regret;  and  it  shall  greatly  contribute  to  my 
happiness  to  hear,  hereafter,  that  the  work  of  the  Lord 
is  increasing  within  you.  And,  if  there  should  be 
some  few  among  you  who  have  been  edified  by  my 
ministering,  I  shall  thank  God  for  giving  me  oppor- 
tunity of  having  some  fruit  among  you,  after  my 
departure.  And  now,  may  the  Lord  abide  with  us  and 
be  our  friend  and  comforter.  Those  who  are  separated 
from  each  other  on  earth,  the  grace  of  God  will  again 
unite  in  heaven.  The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
be  with  you  all !     Amen." 

As  he  here  concluded,  and  the  multitude  continued 
standing  in  silent  prayer  around  him,  his  eyes  caught 
sight  of  a  few  who  had  made  their  way  close  up  to 
him. 

"  My  dear  Petermann,"  he  said  to  one  among 
them,  extending  his  hand,  "you  shall   hear  from  me 


THE    DEPARTURE. 


457 


from  Berlin;  and  you,  Mr.  Guldenmeyer,  and  your 
daughter — O,  you  are  here,  too,  EHzabeth,  and  you 
too,  George — my  love  and  my  prayers  shall  continue 
with  you.  Endeavor  to  keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit 
in  the  bond  of  peace.  Remember  me  in  your  prayers. 
God  be  with  you." 

Hereupon  he  shook  hands  with  them,  cast  one  more 
regretful  look  upon  the  sorrowing  crowd,  one  of  faith 
and  hope  to  heaven,  and  then  re-entered  the  wagon, 
which  now  proceeded  more  rapidly  on  its  way. 

His  route  led  him  through  Colditz,  where  he  took 
leave  of  his  son-in-law,  the  Superintendent  Birnbaum, 
and  through  Leipzig,  where  he  did  the  same  of  his 
other  son-in-law,  Professor  Rechenberg. 

Saturday,  the  6th  of  June,  he  arrived  in  Berlin. 

And  what  was  the  fate  of  those  he  left  behind  ?  It 
need  but  be  mentioned  that  George  and  Elizabeth  not 
only  led  a  truly  Christian  life,  as  husband  and  wife,  by 
mutually  assisting  each  other  in  their  preparation  for 
heaven,  but  also,  that  they  nursed  their  aged  father 
with  real  child-like  tenderness  till  the  day  of  his  death, 
which  found  him,  at  a  very  advanced  age,  well  prepared 
to  enter  into  the  eternal  mansions,  with  the  comforting 
hope  in  the  pardon  of  his  sins,  for  the  sake  of  his 
Redeemer. 

John  George  HI.,  was  destined  to  resign  his  earthly 
crown  much  earlier,  and  only  a  few  months  after 
Spener's  departure  from  Dresden.  The  fatigues  of 
the  camp,  to  which  he  was  continually  exposed,  had 
completely  destroyed  his  constitution.  He  did,  indeed, 
seek  repose  at  the  springs  of  Toplitz,  but  in  vain. 
New  warlike  events,  in  the  western  part  of  Germany, 


458  PHILIPP  JACOB   SPENER. 

forced  him  again  to  the  field  of  battle.  About  the 
30th  of  June  he  crossed  the  Rhine,  with  his  faithful 
Saxons,  was  victorious  in  several  small  engagements, 
and  pursued  the  flying  enemy  as  far  as  Landau.  On 
the  1 6th  of  August  he  took  sick  in  camp,  whence  he 
caused  himself  to  be  removed  to  Tubingen,  with  the 
view  of  receiving  more  careful  attendance.  On  the 
25th  of  the  same  month  he  received  the  Holy  Supper, 
at  the  hands  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Haberlein,  and  died  on 
the  19th  of  September,  of  the  same  year,  1691,  at  the 
age  of  forty-four  years  and  nearly  three  months.  Oc- 
tober the  22d  his  remains  were  removed  to  Freiburg, 
where  they  were  deposited  in  the  Electoral  vault,  in 
the  Cathedral  of  that  place. 

The  Electress  retired,  soon  after  the  death  of  her 
serene  consort,  to  her  widow's  estate  at  Lichtenburg, 
an  Electoral  domain,  with  a  castle  and  beautiful  garden, 
not  far  from  Prettin,  where  Hedwig,  also  a  Danish 
princess,  and  widow  of  the  Elector  Christian  II.,  had 
lived  in  widowhood  for  thirty  years  (from  161 1  to 
1641).  Here  she  carried  on  a  regular  correspondence 
with  her  former  confessor,  of  whose  consolation  she 
stood  constantly  in  need.  Her  eldest  son,  the  Elector 
John  George  IV.,  died  of  small-pox  on  the  27th  of 
April,  1694,  at  the  age  of  twenty-five,  and  about  two 
and  a  half  years  after  his  father's  death.  His  wife, 
Eleanor  Erdmuthe  Louise,  Princess  of  Sax-Eisenach, 
and  late  widow  of  the  Margrave  of  Brandenburg-Ans- 
pach,  followed  him  five  months  later,  on  the  9th  of 
September  in  the  same  year.  The  life  of  this  Christian 
princess  was  one  of  severe  trials,  and  Spener's  letters, 
as  well  as  his  frequent  visits  to  Lichtenburg,  where  he 


THE   DEPARTURE. 


459 


was  accustomed  to  administer  the  Holy  Supper  to  her, 
doubtless  contributed  much  toward  enabling  her,  amid 
these  trials,  one  of  the  severest  of  which  was  the  apos- 
tasy of  her  son  to  the  Catholic  church,  to  continue 
faithful  to  the  end.  She  died  on  her  estate,  on  the  ist 
of  July,  1 7 17,  after  having,  twelve  years  before,  exper- 
ienced the  pain  of  losing,  by  death,  her  esteemed  and 
cherished  confessor.  A  marble  sarcophagus  in  one  of 
the  apartments  of  the  vault,  already  mentioned,  within 
the  cathedral  at  Freiburg,  encloses  her  mortal  remains, 
near  which  also  repose  those  of  her  pious  sister,  Wil- 
helmine  Ernestine  von  der  Pfalz. 

George  Green,  a  native  of  Holstein,  at  whose  hands 
the  Elector  had  received  the  Holy  Communion,  in  con- 
sequence of  his  displeasure  with  Spener,  had  been  in- 
tended as  his  successor,  but  was  destined  never  to 
enter  upon  that  office.  After  Spener's  departure, 
death  inflicted  many  wounds,  frustrating  this  as  well  as 
many  other  plans.  Green  had  to  accompany  the  Elec- 
tor in  his  expedition  to  the  Rhine.  But  the  great  heat 
and  heavy  marches,  to  which  he  was  continually  ex- 
posed, so  seriously  affected  his  health,  that  he  was 
removed  from  the  camp  to  Heidelberg,  for  the  purpose 
of  receiving  better  attention.  Here  his  call  to  the 
chief  court-chaplaincy  reached  him ;  whereupon  he 
made  arrangements  for  being  promoted,  by  the  Univer- 
sity at  Tubingen,  to  the  Doctorate  of  Divinity.  But 
death  promoted  him  to  the  citizenship  of  another 
world.  He  died  in  Heidelberg,  on  the  22d  day  of  Au- 
gust, 1 69 1,  three  weeks  before  the  Elector,  and  was 
buried  in  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  of  that 
place.     The  court-chaplaincy  was  now  conferred  upon 


460  PHILIPP  JACOB  SPENER. 

Dr.  Samuel  Benedict  Carpzov,  Superintendent  at  Dres- 
den, who  died  August  31st,  1707.  The  funeral  ser- 
mons he  preached  were  published  by  him,  under  the 
title  oVThe  Thriving  Bones !' 

After  the  death  of  the  Elector,  John  George  III., 
the  noble  Herr  von  Langendorf,  failing  to  rise  to  the 
distinction  of  becoming  the  favorite  courtier  of  the  new 
Elector,  retired  to  his  paternal  estates;  and  as  Master 
Nullenbrecher  also  did  not  succeed  to  office  and  honors 
elsewhere,  his  noble  and  high-born  cousin  at  length 
conferred  upon  him  the  pastorate  of  his  village,  where 
he  declaimed  and  contended  with  great  zeal  and  world- 
renowned  learning,  for  the  true  faith  of  his  church,  till, 
according  to  Second  Corinthians,  five,  he  was  called 
from  the  land  of  faith  to  that  of  sight. 

Spener's  famulus,  Mr.  Rothner,  who  out  of  love  to 
his  dear  Doctor  had  declined  the  call  to  Altleben, 
received,  shortly  before  Spener's  departure,  his  reward 
for  his  honest  fidelity  to  the  Lord ;  that  is,  if  he  in  his 
sincere  humility  could  have  regarded  it  as  such.  He 
died  the  faithful  pastor  of  a  congregation,  who  had 
learned  to  know  and  love  him  as  their  best  friend  on 
earth. 

And  Petermann,  the  faithful  schoolmaster  of  Lock- 
witz,  to  whom  Spener,  in  accordance  with  his  promise, 
had  addressed  several  letters  from  Berlin,  out-lived,  by 
many  years,  his  esteemed  Doctor  Spener  ;  and  if 
Lockwitz  has  kept  his  grave  in  well  deserved  remem- 
brance, it  may,  doubtless,  still  be  found  in  its  church- 
yard, as  will  also  that  of  the  pious  Gerbcr,  who,  at  the 
instance  of  Spener,  had  been  called  from  Schonberg  to 
Lockwitz,  where  he  labored  faithfully  for  a  period  of 


THE   DEPARTURE.  46 1 

fifty  years,  for  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  where  he  is 
doubtless  held  to  this  day  in  grateful  remembrance. 

The  noble  Baron,  Vett  Ludwig  von  Seckcndorf, 
whom  Spener  was  wont  to  call  '^  tJie  Christian  states- 
man," was  chosen  by  the  Elector,  in  the  year  1692,  as 
the  chairman  of  a  commission  appointed  to  investigate 
the  disputes  in  regard  to  Pietism,  and  died  in  the  same 
year,  immediately  after  these  investigations,  which 
resulted  in  the  entire  acquittal  of  the  accused,  had 
been  concluded,  having  been  appointed  Chancellor  of 
the  newly  established  University  of  Halle. 

The  learned  and  celebrated  Minister's  son,  the  true 
and  upright  privy  counselor,  Samuel  Pufendorf — for 
we  must  also  not  forget  this  noble  Saxon — was  raised 
by  the  Swedish  king,  Charles  XL,  to  a  baronetcy,  and 
died,  on  the  26th  of  October,  1694,  in  Berlin,  renowned 
alike  for  his  learning  and  piety.  Though  one  of  the 
first  and  greatest  natural  philosophers  of  Germany,  yet 
he  failed  at  the  commencement  of  his  career,  notwith- 
standing all  his  exertions,  to  obtain  a  position  in  his 
fatherland. 

Dr.  John  Benedict  Carpzov  (for  we  must  also  not  for- 
get this  the  most  pertinacious  of  all  the  opponents  of 
Spener  and  his  labors),  died  Professor  of  Theology, 
and  pastor  of  St.  Thomas',  at  Leipzig,  on  the  20th  day 
of  March,  and  after  he  had  only  a  week  before  preached 
a  funeral  sermon  at  the  burial  of  the  wife  of  a  printer, 
whose  name  was  Richter,  on  the  theme  of  "  The  False 
Prophets,"  in  which  he  took  occasion  to  hurl  his  thun- 
ders especially  against  August  Hermann  Franke, 
though  without  naming  him. 

Yet   Franke   and   his  work,  continue  to  live,  unfor- 


462  PHIL  IP P  JACOB    SPENER. 

gotten,  in  the  hearts  of  all  grateful  and  pious  Christians. 
The  lasting  monument  of  his  Christianity  is  the  orphan 
house  at  Halle.  Franke  died  on  the  8th  of  July,  1727, 
a  pastor  of  the  suburb  Glaucha,  near  Halle,  where  his 
institutions  are  established.  Over  one  of  the  main  en- 
trances are  inscribed  these  words  : 

"  Stranger,  zuhat  you  behold,  faith  and  love  have 
accomplished.  Honor  the  founder's  spirit,  believing  and 
lovhig  like  him." 


CHAPTER    XXVII. 


THE   END. 


"  Well  done,  thou  good  and  faithful  servant;  thou  hast  been  faithful 
over  a  few  things,  I  will  make  thee  ruler  over  many  things;  enter  thou 
into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord." — Matt.  xxv.  21. 

THOUGH  it  does  not  form  part  of  the  task  which 
we  originally  imposed  upon  ourselves,  to  relate 
any  of  the  events  connected  with  Spener's  life  in  Ber- 
lin, a  brief  account  of  a  few  of  its  closing  scenes  may 
nevertheless  not  be  unwelcome  to  the  reader.  And  we 
give  this  account  the  more  willingly,  because  the  con- 
templation of  the  death  of  a  pious  man  constitutes  one 
of  the  ways  and  means  by  which  God  designs  to  con- 
duct the  living  to  their  own  blessed  death. 

As  early  as  in  the  summer  of  1 704,  this  indefatiga- 
ble laborer  in  the  kingdom  of  God  was  subject  to 
attacks  of  faintness,  which  were  regarded  by  himself  as 
a  sure  indication  that  the  time  of  his  departure  was  not 
far  distant.  He,  therefore,  on  the  nth  of  June  of  the 
same  year,  sent  for  his  colleagues  of  St.  Nicolai — the 
ministers  Blankenberg,  Schindler,  Cunow  and  Mau — 
expressing  to  them  a  desire  to  make  confession  of  his 
faith,  and  impart  to  them  whatever  other  instruction 
might  be  necessary  for  them  to  know  subsequent  to  his 
death.  After  having  audibly  called  upon  God  to  bless 
his  intention,  he,  first  of  all,  expressed  his  gratitude  to 
Him  for  having  permitted  him  to  be  born  of  evangel- 

(463) 


464  PHIL  IFF  JACOB   SFENER. 

ical  and  Christian  parents,  and  reared  by  them,  and  that 
he  had,  in  consequence,  at  so  early  an  age,  obtained  a 
correct  knowledge  of  evangelical  truth,  to  which  he 
had  adhered  to  the  end.  Hereupon  he  confessed  his 
faith,  point  by  point,  and  said,  among  other  things, 
"At  first  I  did  not  believe  in  more  prosperous  times  for 
the  Church ;  for  so  my  instructor,  Dr.  Dannhauer,  had 
taught  me.  But  two  of  my  colleagues  in  PVankfurt, 
induced  me  to  investigate  the  subject  further,  when  I, 
it  rejoices  me  to  state,  found  the  hope  of  brighter  pros- 
pects for  the  Church  well  founded.  In  consequence  of 
these  prejudices,  it  happened,  too,  that  I,  at  the  com- 
mencement of  my  ministerial  labors,  delivered  a  very 
severe  sermon  on  bewaring  of  false  prophets.  I  con- 
fess, however,  that  I  was  too  severe,  and  even  unjust — 
for  our  Lord  Jesus  would  be  but  a  poor  Saviour,  if 
there  were  not  more  souls  belonging  to  Him  than  those 
found  in  the  visible  evangelical  church.  I  do,  there- 
fore, no  longer  regard  that  sermon  as  expressing  my 
present  views,  and  its  being  recently  reprinted  in  Stock- 
holm was  in  opposition  to  my  will. 

"  The  duties  of  my  office,"  he  continued,  "  I  en- 
deavored to  discharge  with  fidelity — yet  I  must 
acknowledge  before  God  that  I  neglected  many  things, 
which  I  trust  my  God  may  graciously  pardon  me. 
This  refers  more  especially  to  my  pastoral  care  for 
individual  souls,  which  I  consider  the  most  important 
duty  of  the  Christian  ministry,  but  which,  in  Frank- 
furt, I  discharged  very  imperfectly.  In  Dresden  and 
here  I  was  relieved  of  it — but  whether  or  not  this  will 
meet  with  the  Divine  approbation,  God  will  in  mercy 
decide." 


THE   END. 


465 


In  regard  to  the  manner  in  which  he  conducted 
his  office,  he  gave  the  assurance  that  the  result 
showed  that  much  more  could  be  accomplished  by 
mildness  than  by  severity.  Then  he  referred  to  his 
successor,  and  requested  his  colleagues  to  submit 
to  him  in  love,  and  exhorted  them  to  mutual  love 
and  unanimity  among  themselves,  and  to  avoid  what- 
ever might  give  offence.  "  If  I  have,"  he  continued, 
"offended  any  one  of  you,  I  trust  you  will  sincerely 
pardon  me,  for  I  cannot  rely  upon  my  own  righteous- 
ness. Being  accustomed  from  my  youth  up  to  lead  a 
quiet  life,  it  often  happened  that  I  was  pointed  out  as 
an  example.  Yet  this  was,  after  all,  nothing  but 
Pharisaical  righteousness.  I  have  nothing — nothing 
on  which  I  rely — save  the  mercy  of  God  in  Christ 
Jesus.  For  of  all  that  has  been  accomplished  by  me, 
I  ascribe  nothing  to  myself  To  me  belongs  nothing, 
saye  what  is  wanting." 

Hereupon  he  sincerely  pardoned  all  his  enemies  and 
opponents,  and  wished  from  the  bottom  of  his  heart 
that  they  might  be  raised  far,  far,  far  above  him  in 
glory.  "Ah,  how  heartily  would  I  praise  God,"  he  then 
said,  "if  He  would  graciously  visit  me  in  this,  my  last 
sickness,  a  few  moments  before  my  end,  with  some 
sweet  consolation." 

He,  however,  recovered  from  this  attack. 

When  later,  God  granted  him  this  wish,  a  few  days 
before  his  death,  all  who  were  about  him  had  the  con- 
viction forced  upon  them  that  his  last  hour  was  fast 
drawing  nigh. 

On  the  22d  of  January,  of  the  following  year,  (1705,) 
he  entered  upon  his  71st  year.    When  the  clock  struck 


456  PHIL  IP P   JACOB  SPENER. 

five  in  the  evening  (the  hour  in  which  he  was  born,)  his 
eyes  suddenly  overflowed  with  tears,  and  he  thanked 
God  with  a  loud  voice  for  all  the  mercies  He  had 
vouchsafed  to  him  from  his  birth,  and  earnestly  be- 
sought Him  for  the  forgiveness  of  all  his  sins.  "  My 
God,"  he  added,  "how  little  or  almost  nothing  have 
I  done  for  Thee!  How  have  I  failed  to  apply  the 
greatest  portion  of  my  life  to  the  promotion  of  Thy 
glory  and  honor ! " 

Four  days  after,  his  wife  brought  his  dinner  to  him, 
but  he  refused  it,  saying,  "that  he  was  now  too  near 
eternity  to  eat  and  drink."  Then  he  prayed,  with 
visible  emotion,  for  the  King  of  Prussia,  and  asked 
that  two  hymns  might  be  sung  to  him ;  one  by  Paul 
Speratus — 

"  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  on  Thee  I  call." 
and  that  beautiful  hymn  by  Schneesing : 

"Alone  to  Thee,  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

His  illness  was  not  of  such  a  nature  as  to  keep  him 
continually  confined  to  his  bed.  Though  unable  any 
longer  to  attend  to  the  duties  of  his  office,  he  still  con- 
tinued to  write  many  letters.  Thus  he  had  taken  leave 
of  the  King  of  Prussia  in  a  very  affectionate  letter,  on 
the  25  th  day  of  January. 

Before  his  last  illness  confined  him  to  his  bed,  he  was 
favored  with  a  special  token.  He  had  seated  himself  at 
his  writing  desk,  in  order  to  apprise  one  dear  friend  of 
the  death  of  another.  But  just  as  he  was  about  to  write 
down  the  word  "  dead,"  and  had  already  formed  the  first 
letter,  he  was  obliged,  from  sheer  exhaustion,  to  lay 
down  his  pen  and  leave  his  chair.  During  this,  his 
last  illness,  God  manifested  His  goodness  towards  him 


THE  END. 


467 


in  not  permitting  him  to  suffer  much  or  severe  pain — 
for  which  reason  he  often  smihngly  asked  his  friends 
how  they  could  regard  him  as  being  sick,  since  he  was 
still  able  to  eat,  drink  and  sleep?  "  How  kindly,"  he 
would  say,  "God  is  dealing  with  me!  God  be  praised 
that  there  is  no  one  in  the  world  toward  whom  I 
cherish  feelings  of  enmity." 

"And  have  you,  dear  Philipp,"  said  his  wife,  "for- 
given all  your  enemies  ?  And  do  you  wish  that  God 
may  convert  them  ?" 

"  Yes,  dear  wife,"  he  replied;  "  I  wish  it  with  all  my 
heart." 

On  the  evening  of  the  4th  of  February  he  had  the 
seventeenth  chapter  of  St.  John's  Gospel  read  to  him 
three  times  in  succession.  This  was  his  favorite  por- 
tion of  the  Bible,  though  he  could  never  determine 
within  himself  to  preach  on  it.  He  declared  that  he 
did  not  understand  it,  and  that  the  correct  understand- 
ing of  it  transcended  the  measure  of  faith  which  the 
Lord  had  designed  to  impart  to  His  people  on  their 
journey  through  life.  Then  he  spoke  much  about 
Simeon's  joy  in  death,  as  it  is  related  in  Luke  ii.  25, 
though  in  a  voice  so  feeble  that  he  could  scarcely  be 
understood.  Nevertheless,  he  still  possessed  sufficient 
strength  not  only  to  listen  to  the  conversation  of  those 
who  visited  him,  but  also  to  pronounce  a  few  words  of 
blessing  upon  them.  Soon  after,  he  fell  into  a  sound 
sleep  which  lasted  till  nearly  morning. 

On  awakening  he  called  for  some  nourishment,  of 
which  he  also  partook.  Then  he  asked  to  be  taken 
once  more  out  of  his  bed,  and  placed  on  a  chair. 
When  he,  however,  desired  to  be  carried  back  again. 


468  PHIL  IP  P  JACOB   SPENER. 

he  suddenly  became  stiff  and  helpless,  closed  his  eyes 
in  the  arms  of  those  who  were  lifting  him,  and  thus 
yielded  up  his  spirit  without  a  struggle  into  the  hands 
of  his  Father,  on  Sunday,  the  I2th  of  February,  1705, 
being  the  morning  of  the  very  day  on  which  he  had 
been  called  to  preach  the  Word  to  his  beloved  congre- 
gation. 

He  had  reached  the  age  of  70  years,  12  days  and 
10  hours. 

On  the  15th  of  February  his  mortal  remains  were,  in 
compliance  with  his  request,  clothed  in  white,  placed 
in  a  light-colored  coffin,  and  interred,  not  within  the 
church,  but  in  a  spot  in  the  church-yard  of  St.  Nicolai, 
previously  selected  by  himself,  and  his  funeral  sermon 
was  preached  three  days  after  by  his  adjunct,  Rev. 
Blankenberg,  on  Rom.  viii.  10 — a  text  also  long  since 
selected  by  himself 

His  wife,  who  had  been  so  faithful  to  him  in  life, 
soon  followed  him  in  death.  She  died  on  the  5th  day 
of  November,  in  the  same  year,  at  the  age  of  nearly  62 
years,  40  of  which  she  had  lived  the  faithful  friend 
and  companion  of  his  heart,  and  the  truly  pious 
mother  of  their  children.  Her  youngest  son,  Ernest 
Gottfried,  born  in  Dresden,  honored  her  memory  in 
an  elegy,  entitled — 

"Tears  shed  by  a  child  at  the   grave   of   his 

MOTHER,  BY    E.  G.  SpENER." 


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